New Delhi (Sputnik): China along with Pakistan on Thursday came down heavily on a US decision to put forth a resolution in the UN Security Council to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The two countries have accused the US of undermining the authority of the Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.
"This is not in line with the resolution of the issue through dialogue and negotiations. This has reduced the authority of the Committee as a main anti-terrorism body of the UNSC and this is not conducive to solidarity and only complicates the issue. We urge the US to act cautiously and avoid forcefully moving forward this resolution draft", Geng Shuang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying by media reports.
Earlier in the day, the US, with the support of Britain and France circulated a resolution to the 15-member council aimed at designating Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar a global terrorist. China had earlier put a technical hold on a proposal to list Azhar under the 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.
Pakistan has also condemned the resolution circulated by the US in the UN Security Council in its statement today.
"We want to amicably resolve this issue in the committee through consultations. Any action outside the sanctions committee will undermine the integrity of the sanctions regime and must be avoided", Dr Muhammad Faisal, spokesperson, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday in a weekly briefing.
Jaish-e-Mohammed is the organisation that claimed responsibility for the 14 February Pulwama terror attack in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The attack killed at least 40 Indian soldiers and triggered an escalation of military engagement including airstrikes between Indian and Pakistan.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday also categorically denied any linkage between Masood Azhar and the Pulwama attack.