Our objective was designation of Masood Azhar as global terrorist: MEA on no Pulwama reference

Addressing the press a day after China lifted its technical hold on the listing of Masood Azhar, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “Our objective was to ensure the designation of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist,” adding that the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed, played a key role in Azhar’s designation.

“The designation is not based on the basis of a specific incident, but on the basis of evidence which we have shared with members of the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, linking Azhar to several acts of terrorism,” he said.

Yesterday, Pakistan said it would “immediately enforce the sanctions” imposed by the UN on Azhar and that it agreed to his listing after all “political references”, including attempts to link him to the Pulwama attack, were removed from the proposal.

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Reacting to reports that the Pulwama attack by the Pakistan-based terror outfit did not find mention in the UN decision on Azhar’s listing, Kumar said “elements (are) being introduced to divert attention from Pakistan on this diplomatic setback that they have suffered. They can’t welcome the decision, they can’t criticize the decision, the only option left for them is to pick up some holes.”

When asked if India offered China anything in return of Azhar’s listing, Kumar said: “We do not negotiate on matters related to national security.”

Read | Delhi’s dossier on Jaish chief Masood Azhar: Pathankot to Pulwama, his fingerprints

The MEA further said China’s support to the listing of Azhar will contribute to better ties between the two countries.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough for India on the global stage in the middle of general elections at home, the United Nations Wednesday listed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist after China lifted its technical hold on the listing under the UN Security Council resolution 1267 sanctions committee.

China, which had signed off on the UNSC’s “condemnation statement” on the Pulwama terror attack in February that was claimed by the JeM, yielded after two-and-half months of sustained behind-the-scenes negotiations involving India, US, UK and France.