In yet another setback to India’s bid to designate Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, China on Wednesday, 13 March, put a ‘hold’ on a proposal in the UN Security Council to ban him following the Pulwama terror attack.

China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, blocked India's bid for the fourth time in the last 10 years.

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on 27 February, days after a suicide bomber of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed nearly 40 CRPF personnel leading to a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Ministry of External Affairs, while reacting to China’s decision, said that it was “disappointed by this outcome”.