US circulates draft resolution at UNSC to blacklist JeM chief Masood Azhar

The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council to blacklist Masood Azhar, Chief of Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The draft resolution condemns the Pulwama attack and says that Azhar will be added to the UN Al-Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions blacklist. It would subject Azhar to a global travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo.

It remained unclear when a vote



would be held on the draft resolution.

The resolution is backed by France and Britain, which joined the US earlier this month in pushing for sanctions against Azhar.

There have been four attempts through a UN sanctions committee to add Azhar to the blacklist. China blocked three previous requests and put a technical hold on the latest one, which could last up to nine months.