'Found no objection after reviewing revised materials': China on Masood Azhar’s blacklisting

Beijing, May 01: China, which lifted its technical hold on listing JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN, said on Wednesday, 1 May, that it took the decision after it found no objection to the listing proposal by the US, the UK and France following a careful study of the revised materials.

China always believes that the relevant work should be carried out in an objective, unbiased and professional manner and based on solid evidence and consensus among all parties, a press release issued by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

"On this listing issue, China has been communicating with relevant parties in a constructive and responsible fashion. Recently, relevant countries revised and re-submitted the materials for the listing proposal to the 1267 Committee. After careful study of the revised materials and taking into consideration the opinions of relevant parties concerned, China does not have objection to the listing proposal," he said.

In a huge diplomatic win for India, Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar was listed as a global terrorist by the United Nations on Wednesday, 1 May, after the UN's Sanctions Committee held a meeting amid indications that China could lift its hold on the proposal to blacklist Azhar.

This comes a day after Beijing said that the vexed issue of designating Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN will be "properly resolved."

Earlier in February, China had put a hold on a fresh proposal by the US, UK and France to impose a ban on the chief of the JeM which claimed responsibility for the deadly Pulwama terror attack.

It was the fourth time in 10 years that China had rejected the bid to designate Azhar as a global terrorist.