Masood Azhar a global terrorist, says US ahead of crucial meet

March 13, 2019 08:34

Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar meets the criteria to be designated as a global terrorist and not doing so is against regional stability and peace, the US said on the eve of the UN Security Council making a crucial decision in this regard.

The JeM, headed by the 50-year-old Azhar, carried out many terror strikes in India and was involved in the attack on Parliament, the Pathankot air force base, army camps in Jammu and Uri, and the latest suicide attack on Central Reserve Police Force in Pulwama which claimed the lives of 40 personnel.

In the aftermath of the February 14 attack in Pulwama, three permanent members of the United States Security Council - the United States, Britain and France - have moved a resolution to designate Azhar as a global terrorist.

Several previous attempts by these three countries inside the UNSC were blocked by China, the all-weather ally of Pakistan.

China, which is one of the five veto-powered members of the Security Council, so far has been asserting that there is not enough evidence against Azhar to designate him as a global terrorist.

Amidst a mounting global outrage in the wake of the Pulwama attack that led to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan, US, Britain and France hope that Beijing would act wisely and would not oppose their move this time to designate Azhar as a global terrorist.

On the eve of the crucial decision by the UN Security Council, the Trump Administration made it clear that there is enough evidence against Azhar to designate him as a global terrorist.

"Azhar is the founder and the leader of the JeM, and he meets the criteria for designation by the United Nations," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters at his daily news conference.

The JeM, he said, has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks and is a threat to regional stability and peace.

-- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

IPL PIX: SKY smashes century as MI ease past SRH

Suryakumar Yadav smashed an unbeaten century as Mumbai Indians eased past Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets.

Probe an eyewash: HC acquits ex-BJP MP in RTI activist's murder case

Observing that the trial court conducted proceedings with a "predetermined notion of conviction", a division bench of Justices AS Supehia and Vimal K Vyas quashed the CBI court's order sentencing Solanki and the six others to life...

Relay star wants to set an example for Indian athletes

'if my body is giving me company why should I stop the sport? Some foreign athletes run till 35 or 37. So I wanted to set an example for other athletes that age does not matter,' says MR Poovamma, Arjuna Awardee and the senior-most...

Karnataka let Prajwal leave the country says Modi

Modi told Times Now that the responsibility to take action in the raging matter lay with the state government as it was a law and order issue, according to the transcript of the interview provided by the broadcaster.

The man behind Kuldeep's improved batting...

In India's 4-1 triumph over England at home, Kuldeep contributed with not just the ball but also the bat. He scored 97 runs in six innings at an average of 19.40, with the best score of 30.