China again blocks listing of Pakistan based IC814 plotter Abdul Rauf Azhar as UN designated international terrorist

New Delhi: China on Wednesday put a hold on the listing of Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Abdul Rauf Azhar as a United Nations designated international terrorist. India and United States had proposed the listing of Azhar, who has been involved in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999. Both the countries proposed the listing two weeks ago. 

Abdul Rauf Azhar is the younger brother of Masood Azhar and is one of the most wanted persons in India. It may be noted that all 14 other members agreed,  while only one country, that is China stood out in placing the hold.

The development comes just a day after India slammed China at the United Nations Security Council on the "practice of placing holds and blocks on listing requests without giving any justification" which the Indian Ambassador to UN Ruchira Kamboj said, "must end". 

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Ruchira Kamboj pointed ,"It is most regrettable that genuine and evidence-based listing proposals pertaining to some of the most notorious terrorists in the world are being placed on hold", explaining that "double standards and continuing politicization have rendered the credibility of the Sanctions Regime at an all-time low."

This is the 2nd time in this year that China has put a hold on listing of Pakistan based terrorist as an international terrorist. 

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Earlier this year, China had put, UN listing of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba's second command Abdul Rehman Makki on hold. Makki is 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law and has been involved in raising funds, recruiting, and radicalizing youth to violence and planning attacks in India, particularly in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.