New Delhi: The United Nations on Wednesday declared Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The development came after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him under the Security Council’s Sanctions Committee.Also Read - Failure To Vaccinate Everyone Will Give Rise To New Variants, Warns UN Chief Guterres

In a huge diplomatic win, Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Ambassador to the UN said, “Big, small, all join together. Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist in UN Sanctions list. Grateful to all for their support.” On being asked whether China has lifted the hold, he told news agency PTI that “yes, done.” Also Read - More Research Needed On COVID Vaccine Efficacy Against Omicron, Says WHO

China removed its hold on the proposal, which was moved by France, UK and the US in the Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February, a few days after the dastardly Pulwama terror attack. Also Read - Pakistan Failed To Prosecute Terrorists, Including 2008 Mumbai Attack Mastermind Masood Azhar: US Report

Welcoming the move, France said, “We welcome the designation today, by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, of Masood Azhar on the UN’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List.”

The statement further read, “French diplomacy has been relentlessly pleading for sanctioning Azhar, head of the terrorist group responsible, notably, for the Pulwama attack last February. France had adopted national sanctions against Masood Azhar on 15th March.”

In one of the most horrific terror attack, forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14 as an explosive-laden truck rammed into a bus in their convoy. The JeM had claim the responsibility of the attack.