US tells Pakistan not to oppose India's bid to list JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist

The message from the US has been conveyed to Pakistani diplomats in Washington DC.

NEW DELHI: The United States Administration of President Donald Trump has told Islamabad to not oppose India's move to put terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and its chief Maulana Masood Azhar on the United Nation’s list of global terrorists.

WION quoted sources as saying that the message from the US has been conveyed to the Pakistani diplomats staying in Washington DC.

The development comes at a time when New Delhi is stepping up its efforts to get JeM chief Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist.

It may be recalled that soon after the attack on the CRPF convoy in J&K's Pulwama on February 14, the US National Security Advisor James Bolton had called on his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and said that his country fully supported India's right to self-defence.

Bolton also strongly condemned the attack on the CRPF convoy which left at least 41 troopers dead and several others critically injured.

The attack took place after a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber, who was later identified as Adil Ahmed Dar, rammed his vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.

Condemning the ghastly terror attack, the White House asked Pakistan to immediately end “support” and “safe haven” to all terror groups.

“The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had said in a statement.

While China expressed deep “shock” over the Pulwama terror attack, it did not give an assurance to New Delhi that it will back the latter’s appeal to list the UN-proscribed Pakistan-based terror group’s chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

China, a veto-wielding member of the UNSC and a close ally of Pakistan, has consistently blocked moves first by India and later by the US, the UK and France to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by the 1267 Committee by putting technical holds.

If Azhar is listed as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council, he would face a global travel ban and assets freeze.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's civil and military leadership is expected to meet this week to discuss the increasing tensions with India in the wake of Pulwama attack.

The attack on the CRPF convoy has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys.

According to The Express Tribune, the Pakistani envoy would brief the civil and military leadership about the current situation in India.

The high-powered National Security Committee (NSC), the highest decision-making forum on national security and foreign policy, is likely to meet this week. 

The meeting would be presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by key federal ministers as well as the services chiefs, the report said. 

The high-level meeting, according to sources, would review the situation arising after the Pulwama attack.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again said the country would take action against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack, adding that the time for talks was over.

Pakistan has strongly rejected India's allegations and said that the JeM remains a banned entity in Pakistan since 2002 and the country was implementing its obligations on sanctions implementation. 

(With Agency inputs)