Pakistan issues order to freeze assets of Azhar, impose travel ban

Days after the UN declared him a 'global terrorist', Pakistan issued an official order to freeze the assets of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. Besides, the neighboring country also imposed a travel ban on Azhar and barred him from selling or purchasing arms and ammunition.

Thedevelopment comes days after the UN Security Council designated Azhar as aglobal terrorist, a move that was being blocked by China for nearly 10 years.

The UNsanctions committee on the Islamic State and al-Qaida on Wednesday announcedthe designation of Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), over its ties toal-Qaida.

Issuing anotification, Pakistan's foreign ministry, said, "The Federal Government ispleased to order that the Resolution 2368 (2017) be fully implemented againstAzhar. The government directed officials to take actions "as appropriate forthe implementation of sanctions against the JeM chief."

Pakistanforeign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal also asserted that Pakistan would"immediately enforce the sanctions" imposed on Azhar.

Meanwhile,Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lauded the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) over its decision to declare Azhar as a global terrorist, terming it abig success for India's efforts to root out terrorism.

Aveto-wielding permanent member of the UNSC, China was the sole hold-out in the15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a"technical hold" and asking for "more time to examine" the proposal.