After China veto, US-led global powers step up demand for UN to blacklist Masood Azhar

The United States led global powers such as Britain and France to intensify their demand for the United Nations Security Council to blacklist Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. This move comes after China, earlier this month, put on hold a request to put Masood Azhar on the UN sanctions list, over his alleged ties to al-Qaeda.

The United States circulated a resolution to the 15-member council that would designate Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar, subjecting him to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze, diplomats said. The draft resolution was supported by Britain and France.

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was critical of China’s stance and said, “The world cannot afford China’s shameful hypocrisy toward Muslims. On one hand, China abuses more than a million Muslims at home, but on the other it protects violent Islamic terrorist groups from sanctions at the UN. He added, “China has detained more than one million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other Muslim minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang since April 2017. China must release all those arbitrarily detained and end its repression.”

The world cannot afford China’s shameful hypocrisy toward Muslims. On one hand, China abuses more than a million Muslims at home, but on the other it protects violent Islamic terrorist groups from sanctions at the UN.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) March 27, 2019

Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops and stoked tensions between India and Pakistan.

The United States, Britain and France initially asked the Security Council’s Islamic State and al Qaeda sanctions committee, which operates by consensus, to blacklist Azhar. However, China prevented the move.

China has been accused by Western diplomats of protecting Pakistan's interests in the latest standoff with India. But Beijing has defended its decision by arguing it had adopted a "responsible attitude" in dealing "with this issue with relevant parties via thorough consultation," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.