China blocking sanction against Masood Azhar puts them in bad light: Expert

Defence expert Major General (Retired) P.K. Sehgal on Friday said that China's decision to again block a proposal to list Masood Azhar as a designated terrorist under the 1267 sanctions committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is along anticipated lines, but puts Beijing in poor light.

"Actions by China are on absolute anticipation and along expected lines. India definitely expected China had two options, either to join the rest of the world in bringing Masood to order, or alternatively, to hold the hand of its all weather friend Pakistan and block," he said.

"As they cannot do the technical hold, so a block means that this issue comes to an end, and as far as China and Pakistan are concerned, Masood Azhar cannot be declared a terrorist by United Nations. This clearly throws China into bad light," he added.

Sehgal further asserted that India has several courses opened to it, including asking the United Nations Security Council to deliberate on the decision, or file cases against several organisations to embarrass China and make it abundantly clear to all the countries across the globe that China is an abettor of terrorists and terrorism.

China is the lone member among the 15-member UNSC to oppose the ban on Azhar.

Previously, while opposing the ban against Azhar, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had said that the country firmly supports combating all forms of terrorism, stronger international cooperation against terrorism, and supports the central and coordinating role of the UN in international counter-terrorism cooperation.