In the aftermath of the dastardly Pulwama terror attack, France has decided to move a resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to designate Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

France will be putting forth a proposal for the same in a couple of days, sources told news agency PTI.

More countries are expected to team up in the next few days and dialogues are on via diplomatic channels with other member nations of the UNSC.

In another significant move, Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron, called National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday.

Besides the P-5 countries, New Delhi is also holding talks with Indonesia which is the chair of the UNSC resolution 1267 sanctions committee covering terror groups. India is also holding talks with Russia and Peru, the vice-chairs of the committee.

This is not the first time France has decided to come forward in getting Azhar blacklisted. Earlier, France had made an attempt along with the US and the UK in 2017 but was blocked by China.

Moreover, the French, in a run up to the the meeting of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris this week is preparing to push to keep Pakistan on the “grey list” of countries.

READ ALSO | India hits back at Imran Khan: In ‘Naya Pakistan, ministers publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafiz Saeed

Pakistan was listed on the FATF in June 2018 and put on the notice to be blacklisted by October 2019 if the nation failed to put a stop to money laundering and financing terror. This move, if comes into effect, will cost Islamabad dearly seeing how the country is trying very hard to woo investors to Pakistan in the midst of a poor economic situation.

All Eyes On China Now

India’s move to list Jaish chief Masood Azhar at the UNSC have been blocked by China time and again. Most recently, India had accused JeM for the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot in January 2016, and had, a month later, made a proposal to list Azhar as a global terrorist. However, China interceded at Pakistan’s request and put a technical hold on India’s move in March and then again in October 2016. Subsequently, China vetoed India’s move in order to block the proposal in December 2016, just prior to the day the technical hold ended.

China, repeating its earlier actions, put a technical hold and blocked a proposal by the US, the UK and France in January 2017, to list Azhar as a terrorist. India has been pushing for the Jaish chief to be listed since 2008-09, post the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, and even then as well China had blocked it with the help of technical hold.

Post the deadly Pulwama attack, India had reiterated the appeal to the international community to back the proposal to designate terrorists, including Azhar, and banning terrorist organisations active from territories under Pakistan.

France’s latest initiative comes a day after Saudi Arabia signed a joint statement with Pakistan to avoid “politicisation of the UN listing regime”, referring to India’s efforts to list Azhar.

The Saudi Crown Prince landed in Delhi on Tuesday night for a two-day visit right after his visit to Pakistan and the statement was considered as a snub to New Delhi.