UK optimistic Masood Azhar will be listed as an international terrorist

The UK has expressed optimism that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar will soon be listed as an international terrorist at the United Nations.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, British High Commissioner Sir Dominic Asquith said, "We are strong supporters of listing of Masood Azhar for a decade. So that we will get to that conclusion shortly. I do remain optimistic that it will be resolved and very much it will be."

Without taking China's name he said, "We are waiting to see whether the country that is so far been resisting agreeing to its listing will lift that objection," hoping, "we will get to that conclusion of listing Azhar".

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China had put a hold on the listing of Masood Azhar as an international terrorist on March 13 at the 1267 sanctions committee of the UNSC. India has been pushing to declare Masood Azhar a global terrorist after his JeM took responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama attack that killed more than 40 personnel of India's paramilitary force, the CRPF.

The UK, along with the US and France, has put a proposal for listing of Azhar as an international terrorist in the aftermath of Pulwama. A resolution was also proposed by the US at UNSC but China put a hold in March.

China, in the past few weeks, has been reacting potitively on listing of Azhar. "Things are moving towards a settlement," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently said in a statement. The Indian foreign secretary was in China on Monday and gave evidence regarding JeM's involvement in terror attacks in India during his meetings with Chinese officials including foreign minister Wang Yi.

A statement from India's external affairs ministry said, "We have shared with China all evidences of terrorist activities of Jaish-e-Mohammed and its leader Masood Azhar. It is now for the 1267 Sanctions Committee and other authorised bodies of the UN to take a decision on the listing of Masood Azhar."

'PAK MUST ACT ON TERROR'

Asked if the UK played a role in defusing tension between India Pakistan after Pulwama, the high commissioner said, "We were very actively involved. We were certainly talking to a variety of key actors in Pakistan to make it clear on what we expect in terms of Pakistani action against terrorist groups who are operating around the Line of Control."

Calling for a "verifiable" and "irreversible action" against terror groups, the British HC said, "Don't mistake natural British modesty with what we say in public with a lack of activity."