Masood Azhar (centre, wearing a white turban) designated a global terrorist | Photo Credit: PTI

New Delhi: In a massive diplomatic win for India, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar was designated as a global terrorist on Wednesday. India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin confirmed the development on social media and later, in a detailed press statement. “Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in @UN Sanctions list. Grateful to all for their support,” Akbaruddin tweeted.

Shortly later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally at Jaipur, welcomed the decision and said that India's voice 'cannot be ignored by the world'. "Der aayein durust aayein," he said while thanking the international community for its support.

The Congress party, while welcoming the move criticised the omission of references to Pulwama and Jammu and Kashmir in the UNSC statement. "Pakistan based #MasoodAzhar’s belated declaration as a global terrorist by UN is surely a welcome step. India’s fight against terrorism is resolute. We are disappointed that UN listing doesn’t mention Pulwama/ J&K while listing Azhar’s role in terrorist activities," said party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Later, the MEA clarified that the UNSC sanction was 'not supposed to be a biodata of a terrorist'. "Pulwama happened to be the latest act of terror but the designation was not based on a specific incident but on the basis of evidence shared with members of the 1267 Sanctions Committee linking Masood Azhar to terrorism. It is not supposed to be a bio-data of a terrorist that all acts of terror committed by him would be listed in the notification. However, all acts of terrorism, including Pulwama, were relevant to the lifting," the MEA said.

The international community including the US, France and UK, which pressed India's proposal in the UNSC, welcomed the decision and sought 'sustained action' from Islamabad against terror emanating from Pakistan. "The United States welcomes the addition of Masood Azhar to the UN 1267 ISIL and al-Qaida Sanctions list," a US Home Department spokesperson was quoted as saying by PTI.

The development came after China, which had so far been blocking the move, decided to lift its 'technical hold'. Pakistan, where Azhar is based, too decided to support the move to blacklist the JeM chief as a global terrorist.

Earlier, the Pakistani media reported that China dropped its objections after holding consultations with Pakistan. On Tuesday, Beijing had said that the vexed issue will be "properly resolved”. "I can only say that I believe that this will be properly resolved," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing in Beijing.

The message was seen as an indication of China’s softening stand on the issue. In March, China had stalled the move at the UN Sanctions Committee to designate Azhar as a global terrorist by putting a technical hold. At that time, the proposal was moved by the US, UK and France. That proposal was the fourth such bid in the last decade at the UNSC to designate the JeM chief as a global terrorist.

India had first moved a proposal in 2009 to get Azhar listed as a global terrorist. In 2016, India again moved the proposal with the support of three permanent members of the UN - the United States, the United Kingdom and France - in the 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar. In 2017, the P3 countries moved a similar proposal.

On all the occasions, China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, put a technical hold and blocked the moves.

It may be noted that Azhar is the chief of the JeM which claimed responsibility for this year’s deadly Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. JeM had also carried out a terror attack on the Pathankot air base in January 2016.

Now designated as a global terrorist by the UN, Azhar will now be subjected to an assets freeze, travel ban and an arms embargo.