China hints at no change in policy of blocking efforts to list Masood Azhar as global terrorist

China today hinted at no change in its policy of blocking efforts to list JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist during the second tenure of President Xi Jinping.

A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India's move to put a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council. JeM has already been in its banned list.

China had in August extended by three months its technical hold on the the US, France and UK-backed proposal to list Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN after having blocked the move in February



this year at the United Nations.

Replying to questions whether China will block the ban on Azhar again when the 1267 Committee of the UNSC takes up the issue on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, as for listing application by the relevant country, there are disagreements. China's latest hold is due to lapse on Thursday.

India has identified Azhar as the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack on January 2, last year. It has also blamed his brother Rauf and five others for carrying out the attack in which seven Indian soldiers were killed.