UK welcomes listing of JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by UN

The UK government on Wednesday welcomed the "long overdue" listing of the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said the UN Security Council's designation of the head of the Pakistan-based terror group chief as a global terrorist was a positive development for the South Asian region.

"The listing of Masood Azhar, leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, is very welcome and long overdue," an FCO spokesperson said.

"The UK has consistently called for this action to be taken, and we worked closely with our international partners to ensure the right result. This is a positive development for the security and stability of the South Asia region, the spokesperson noted.

In what is being seen a major diplomatic win for India, the UN blacklisted Azhar after China lifted its "technical hold" on a proposal initiated by the US, the UK, and France in the wake of the Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 Indian soldiers in February.

"Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi been designated under the 1267 Sanctions Committee to the Da'esh and Al-Qaida Sanctions List following a proposal by the UK, US and France," the UK Mission to the UN said in a statement on Twitter soon after the decision was announced on Wednesday.

Under the UN sanctions committee decision, Azhar is accused of "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities" carried out by JeM. As a result of the blacklisting, he will be subject to a worldwide assets freeze, a travel ban and arms embargo.