UNSC Names JeM In Condemning Pulwama Attack; China On Board For Holding Perpetrators, Sponsors Accountable

United Nations Security Council (UNSC), comprising of 15 members including China, on Thursday (21 February) condemned in the “strongest terms” the “heinous and cowardly” terror attack on CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), reports News 18.

You can also read this in Hindi- संयुक्त राष्ट्र ने पुलवामा के लिए की जैश-ए-मोहम्मद की निंदा, चीन भी आया साथ

The council, in a statement, also underlined the need to hold organisers, financiers and perpetrators of such “reprehensible acts” accountable and bring them to justice. In this regard, It also called on the global community to cooperate with the Indian government and all other relevant authorities.

It was also pointed out, in what was called as a massive diplomatic feat, that the UNSC statement used ‘Jammu and Kashmir’ sidelining China’s demand to instead use ‘Indian-administered Kashmir’.

"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in over 40 Indian paramilitary forces dead and dozens wounded on 14 February 2019, for which Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility," the UNSC press statement on the Pulwama attack said.

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of India and all other relevant authorities in this regard," it said.

The statement holds significance as China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the council, had in the past blocked India’s bids in the UNSC sanctions committee to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, but this time, has urged all countries to cooperate with Indian government to hold the organisers and sponsors of the attack accountable.

In a major push to India’s efforts to get Masood Azhar on the global terrorists’ list, a proposal to ban the head of UN-proscribed outfit is expected to be moved by France. It would be fourth such attempt in the last ten years.

Noting the security situation in the subcontinent, the secretary-general Antonio Guterres "urgently" appealed to both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further.