Listing of Maulana Masood Azhar on UN sanctions Committee agreed after all political references: FO
(FILES) In this photograph taken on February 4, 2000, Masood Azhar, chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), arrives to address a press conference in Karachi. - For eight days in 1999 the world watched in horror as hijackers diverted an Indian Airlines flight to Afghanistan and held the passengers hostage, the drama ending only when Delhi agreed to release three Kashmiri militants. One of the militants freed was Masood Azhar, who later went on to found Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the militant group which claimed responsibility in February 2019 for the deadliest attack in three decades in Indian-held Kashmir. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
ISLAMABAD – Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr. Muhammad Faisal has said the listing of Maulana Masood Azhar on UN Sanctions Committee has been agreed after all political references, including removing of attempts to link it with Pulwama incident and maligning Kashmiris struggle for their right to self-determination.
At a media briefing in Islamabad on Wednesday, he said UN Security Council’s Sanction Committee listed Maulana Masood Azhar today, which entails a ban on foreign travel, asset freeze, and arms embargo.
The Spokesperson said listing of Maulana Masood Azhar has been under consideration in the Sanction Committee since 2009.
He said Azhar has been proscribed under Pakistan’s anti terrorism act for some time even before taking up his case by the Sanctions committee.
He said UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee listing is governed by clear rules and is based on strict technical criteria and it takes all decisions through consensus.
He said Pakistan has always advocated the need for respecting these technical rules and regulations and has opposed the politicization of the Sanctions Committee.
The spokesperson said over the last few years, many states, including Pakistan have been concerned at an increasing trend of politicization of this Committee, including attempts to include matters that are unrelated to the technical criteria.
