India’s international counter-terror campaign suffered a setback on Friday with China blocking a UN attempt to blacklist major Pakistan-based terror mastermind Masood Azhar. China’s block stopped the counter terror committee of the UN Security Council from blacklisting Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group even as India issued a strong note of protest and called China’s block as “surprising”.

India’s latest attempt to ban Azhar came on Friday when China’s previous block on a similar move was scheduled to end.

“We note with concern China’s decision to block the proposal to list Masood Azhar as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council which has been presented nine months ago and had received the strong backing of all other members of the Committee,” said Spokesperson of MEA Vikas Swarup.

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India began the campaign to blacklist Masood Azhar after terrorists that India said were part of Jaish-e-Mohammed, attacked the airbase in Pathankot on January 2. Subsequently India highlighted the contradiction that the UNSC 1267 committee, the UN organ composed of all the members of the UN Security Council, had banned Jaish-e-Mohammed in 2001 while leaving out Azhar and therefore had to proscribe him as well.

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However, China had blocked India’s attempts to list Masood Azhar in the agenda of the 1267 committee earlier this year neutralising India’s campaign. China’s blockade also cast a shadow on India’s plans to bring an international convention against terrorism under the aegis of the United Nations.

“The international community is aware that the Pakistan-based JeM which is proscribed by the United Nations, has been responsible for innumerable terrorist attacks on India including the Pathankot airbase attack. The inability of the international community to list its leader Masood Azhar is an unfortunate blow to the concerted efforts to effectively counter all forms of terrorism,” Mr. Swarup said highlighting that the Chinese block indicates at double standards in the fight against terror.

Sources said that the attempt to blacklist Masood Azhar will now go into cold storage as Security Council’s rules automatically allow a repeat block to turn into a permanent objection from a member.