WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s ambassador to United States Dr Asad Majeed Khan on Friday said Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Masood Azhar being placed on United Nations terror list will not have an effect on the relationship between Pakistan and United States.
“We want good relations with US,” Dr Majeed said. “Pakistan is against terrorism and we are taking steps to curb terrorism in the country according to the National Action Plan.”
“Those steps are not to make anyone happy but it is for our own need,” he asserted.
The Pakistani envoy added, “If you have look at President Trump statements from the last two months you can see he has spoken of good things about us.”
“Zalmay Khalilzad and General McKenzie recently visited Pakistan and talks between the two countries are continuing at a bilateral level,” he added.
The UN on Wednesday proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammed’s chief among banned individuals on its global terror list, placing a restriction on foreign travel, arms embargo and freezing of assets.
The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee 1267 listed Masood Azhar, placing a ban on immediate basis.
On February 27, France, United Kingdom and US had presented a resolution demanding a ban on Azhar, on which China had raised an objection on technical basis.
China’s Foreign Ministry on the subject said: “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.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also said that Pakistan has made great contributions for countering terrorism and it deserves full recognition of the international community. The statement said that China will continue to firmly support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorist forces.
