India won't comment on UN draft on Azhar for now

India has opted against commenting at this stage on a draft initiated for consideration of the UNSC members to list Masood Azhar in the sanctions regime as part of international community's efforts to fight against terrorism, sources said here on Thursday.

They said India's views on Masood Azhar, the founder-leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks in India including Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, are well known.

The sources said it would not be appropriate to comment at this stage on a process which is entirely within the parameters of informal discussion of the United Nations Security Council and its members.

The United States has initiated a new effort for UN action against Azhar after several attempts to impose sanctions on him were blocked by China. The fresh move would force Beijing to take a public stand in the Security Council.

The US is circulating a draft resolution with the backing of Britain and France for the Security Council to condemn the February terrorist suicide-bombing in Pulwama and designate Azhar as an international terrorist who would be under the UN sanctions against Al Qaeda and similar persons and organisations.

--IANS

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