US moves UN to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar, China voices objection

NEW DELHI: Throwing its weight behind India, the US on Tuesday moved the United Nations for banning Pathankot attack mastermind and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar.

The US, supported by the UK and France, moved a proposal to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, but it has once again been opposed by China.

The



proposal, which was finalised after "consultations" between Washington and New Delhi, said JeM is a designated terror outfit and so its leaders cannot go scot-free, sources said.

"However, China opposed the US move by putting a hold on the proposal," a source said, adding the Chinese action came just before the expiry of the 10-day deadline for any proposal to be adopted or blocked or to be put on hold.