Pulwama only first dose, fire will engulf entire country if Kashmir not surrendered: Masood Azhar

Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has once again warned India that Pulwama terror attack – which claimed lives of 40 CRPF jawans – was ‘only the first dose’. In a dossier - containing recent audio recording of Masood Azhar - that India provided to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), he can be heard saying that the terror group would carry out 'further attacks' on India.

"If Kashmir is not surrendered, the fire will reach Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow and subsequently engulf the entire country," he further said in the 15-minute long audio tape. 

The development comes hours after China blocked India’s bid in the UN Security Council to designate Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal on Wednesday. This was the fourth time when China has disappointed India at the UNSC.

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 Jaish’s suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.

The Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee members had 10 working days to raise any objections to the proposal. The no-objection period deadline was scheduled to end at 3 PM local time (New York) Wednesday, (12:30 AM IST Thursday).

Just before the deadline, China put a "technical hold" on the proposal, a diplomat at the UN told PTI. The diplomat said China asked for "more time to examine" the proposal.

The technical hold is valid for up to six months and it can be again extended by up to three months. Reacting to the development, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi expressed disappointment.

"We are disappointed. We will continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that terrorists involved in attacks on Indian citizens are brought to justice," the MEA said.

"We are grateful to all countries who supported the bid to designate Azhar as global terrorist," it said.