New Delhi: The Pulwama terror attack played a role in designation of JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Thursday. It asserted that Pakistan was making claims over the listing to divert attention from the ‘huge diplomatic’ setback it has suffered.
The assertion came after Pakistan claimed that it agreed to Azhar’s listing after all ‘political references’, including attempts to link him to the Pulwama attack, were removed from the proposal to designate him a global terrorist.
“The designation is not based on the basis of a specific incident, but on the basis of evidence which we have shared with members of the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, linking Azhar to several acts of terrorism,” MEA spokesperon Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing here, Thursday. “Elements are being introduced by Pakistan to divert attention from this huge diplomatic setback,” Kumar said.
Asked whether India offered something to China for Azhar’s listing, Kumar asserted that India doesn’t negotiate on matters related to national security. “Our objective was to ensure designation of Masood Azhar as global terrorist,” he said. “We have done that.”
The Pulwama terror attack played a role in Azhar’s designation, the spokesperson informed while adding that China’s support to Azhar’s listing will contribute to better Sino-India ties.
France, the UK and the US had moved a fresh proposal to declare Azhar as global terrorist by the UN in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack.
