China has come to Masood Azhar’s rescue for the fourth time in a decade. As a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council it has repeatedly put a ‘technical hold’ on the proposal to ban Jaish-e-Muhammed chief Masood Azhar.
Masood Azhar (AP file photo)
But this time there were reasons to hope that it would correct its ways. JeM claimed responsibility for the heinous terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama, following which France backed by US and Britain moved to designate Azhar a global terrorist. Non-permanent members also joined as co-sponsors. At a time when the world was holding Pakistan’s feet to the fire on the issue of terrorism, China was expected to do its bit too as an aspiring world leader.
Instead, it has sent out the message that it will not join the world in demanding that Pakistan roll up the terrorists there that initiate attacks against India with impunity and indeed even with state patronage. India must now consider options to push back against China for its support for Pakistan’s asymmetric warfare against us. The dragon, of course, is doing itself no favours either, because all the evidence is that every state that pampers terror ends up being the worst for it.