After France, Germany initiates move to put Jaish chief Masood Azhar in EU terrorist list

Masood Azhar. Credits- India TV

Germany has taken the initiative to include Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, Masood Azhar in the European Union terrorist list. As confirmed by diplomatic sources to news agency PTI on Tuesday, Germany has also approached many other countries to put Masood Azhar in the list of Global terrorists in the European Union.

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If Germany succeeds, the assets of JeM chief will be seized in 28 countries of the EU. A travel ban to member countries will also be imposed on Masood Azhar.

The diplomatic sources, however, confirmed that though this proposal has been given by Germany, no resolution has been moved so far. They furthered that since the bloc decides on such issues under the principle of consensus, the proposal will be passed only after the support of all the 28 countries of the European Union (EU) to ban the Pakistan-based terrorist.

Earlier, France had decided to freeze all the French assets of Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar. It had further decided that it will be pushing to list Masood Azhar in the European Union’s list of people involved in terror activities.

This decision had come two days after China had blocked the fresh initiative to declare Azhar a global terrorist by the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

France had decided to put sanctions on Masood Azhar at the national level after his terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad claimed responsibility for the dastardly attack in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. The assailant who perpetrated the ghastly attack was ostensibly trained and indoctrinated by Masood Azhar’s proscribed terror group JeM.

Notably, the P3 nations of the UNSC have tried four times to declare Masood Azhar a global terrorist. Fourteen out of 15 members of the UN Security Council supported the proposal, but each time the move was blocked by China.

The US had stated recently that not declaring Masood Azhar a global terrorist is against regional stability and peace.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia