Masood Azhar listing: Did China take Pakistan into confidence?

ISLAMABAD: Chinese decision to lift its technical hold on listing Maulana Masood Azhar as a global terrorist flabbergasted diplomatic observers here Wednesday as the decision has come in less than a week of an important meeting between visiting Pakistan’s top leadership and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing where the former had gone to participate in second Belt and Road International Forum (BRF).

The observers are intrigued with a question that did the Chinese president or the foreign minister of that country opted to take Pakistan and its visiting dignitaries, being from a very close friendly country, into confidence about changing of mind pertaining to the matter. Since an important minister from Pakistan was also in Beijing and he reached the Chinese capital ahead of his leadership and had meeting with his Chinese counterpart before the arrival of the leadership, it appears he too couldn’t find a clue about the decision which is source of disquiet for Pakistan.

The Foreign Office spokesman in his hurriedly-called news conference on Wednesday evening didn’t take the media into confidence on the aforementioned subject.

Meanwhile, sources hinted that some authorities in Pakistan had advance inkling of the matter at least two days ahead of the withdrawal of Chinese hold. According to Indian media reports, China that lifted its technical hold on listing Maulana Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the United Nations, said on Wednesday that it took the decision after it found no objection to the listing proposal by the United States, the United Kingdom and France following a careful study of the revised materials. Indian media is portraying the decision as a great diplomatic victory but Islamabad has watered down the development. Indian media is insisting that “in a huge diplomatic win for India, the United Nations Wednesday designated Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’ after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him. The 1267 al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council has detailed criteria for the listing procedures. China always believes that the relevant work should be carried out in an objective, unbiased and professional manner and based on solid evidence and consensus among all parties,” a press release issued by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said. "On this listing issue, China has been communicating with relevant parties in a constructive and responsible fashion. Recently, relevant countries revised and re-submitted the materials for the listing proposal to the 1267 Committee. After careful study of the revised materials and taking into consideration the opinions of relevant parties concerned, China does not have objection to the listing proposal," he said.

"The proper settlement of the above-mentioned issue again shows that in international counter-terrorism cooperation, we have to uphold the rules and procedures of relevant UN body, follow the principle of mutual respect, resolve differences and build consensus through dialogue, and prevent politicising technical issues," he said.

"I would like to stress that Pakistan has made enormous contributions to fighting terrorism, which deserves the full recognition of the international community. China will continue firmly support Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorist and extremist forces," Geng said.