Pakistan Issues Order to Freeze Assets, Impose Travel Ban on JeM Chief Masood Azhar

'Global terrorist' Masood Azhar barred from selling or purchasing arms and ammunition.

New Delhi: Days after the UN declared him a ‘global terrorist’, Pakistan issued an official order to  freeze the assets of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. Besides, the neighbouring country also imposed a travel ban on Azhar and barred him from selling or purchasing arms and ammunition.

The development comes days after the UN Security Council designated Azhar as a global terrorist, a move that was being blocked by China for nearly 10 years.

The US, the UK and France had moved the proposal to designate Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’ in the UN Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February, just days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack that claimed lives of 40 CRPF personnel. Azhar’s JeM had claimed the responsibility of the ghastly terror attack

Issuing a notification, Pakistan’s foreign ministry, said, “The Federal Government is pleased to order that the Resolution 2368 (2017) be fully implemented against Azhar. The government directed officials to take actions “as appropriate for the implementation of sanctions against the JeM chief.”

Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal also asserted that Pakistan would “immediately enforce the sanctions” imposed on Azhar.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lauded the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) over its decision to declare Azhar as a global terrorist, terming it a big success for India’s efforts to root out terrorism.

Addressing a Lok Sabha Elections 2019 rally in Rajasthan’s Jaipur, PM Modi said, “It is a matter of satisfaction that a consensus has developed in the world on designating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Der aye, durust aye (Better late than never).”