Masood Azhar will get terror tag in next 9 months, says 'cautiously confident' India after UN setback

Three days after the setback in the United Nations, India remains ‘cautiously confident’ that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar will be declared as a ‘global terrorist.’ According to government sources that were quoted by news agency ANI, “India will show patience as long as it takes, we are cautiously optimistic that Masood Azhar will be listed. There are issues China has to resolve with Pak. India has strong support of 14 members” “China also knows terrorism is a challenge, they know it operates from Pakistan. India will show patience. Pakistan is spending diplomatic capital in defending indefensible. Its action is cosmetic. US is supportive of India & has assured that Pakistan will take action,” the source added. 

New Delhi also raised the issue on Pakistan’s false narrative. “India raised concerns with US on arms used. US took note and also appreciated India for sharing its position in real time. There are no takers in US to take Pakistan's narrative that India is posing threat,” the source said. The sources also talked about Pakistan handing over ‘most wanted’ men such as Dawood Ibrahim and Sayeed Salahudeen. “India knows there are number of Indians in Pakistan. Pak can hand over Indians that are in India's wanted list and international terror list-Dawood Ibrahim and Sayeed Salahudeen. Very specific details were shared, if Pak thinks India can't verify, it can get international verification,” the government sources said.

Meanwhile, backchannel diplomacy is also working to ensure Masood Azhar’s terror tag. The US, France and the UK are believed to be in intense "good faith" discussions with China to arrive at a "compromise", including on the language on the UN designation of Azhar as a global terrorist, according to people familiar with the matter.

On Wednesday, China blocked for the fourth consecutive time a resolution at the UN Security Council Committee on designating Azhar, head of the JeM terror group, as a global terrorist.

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on February 27, days after a suicide bomber of the JeM killed 44 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, leading to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan.

If the fresh efforts by the US, France and the UK does not end up in the formal designation of Azhar, the three permanent members are planning to soon move a resolution for his listing in the most powerful wing of the UN which would be preceded by an open debate on the issue, according to people familiar with the matter.