Beijing’s ‘technical hold’ on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar expires on December 31

NEW DELHI: India is hoping for more clarity on its bid for a United Nations ban against Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar when China’s "technical hold" blocking the move at the UN Security Council expires on December 31.

Even as China hinted earlier this month that there is no change in its position on Islamist hardliner, India’s case has been bolstered with the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) recent findings indicting Azhar in the Pathankot air force base attack on January 2.

India has yet again nudged China to stop shielding Azhar from United Nations’ sanctions, people in the know said. NIA’s chargesheet against Azhar came just 12 days before the expiry of the "technical hold", which China imposed on India’s bid to bring him under UN sanctions.

China’s inflexibility will cast a shadow on Sino-India ties which this year witnessed hiccups not only over Azhar but also over India’s NSG bid, China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor and visas to Uyghur leaders.

The evidences collected by the NIA to indict Masood Azhar will be shared with China, persons familiar with the development said. India has yet again urged China not to extend the "technical hold" further and instead help advance the process at the United Nations to impose international sanctions on the terror mastermind based in Pakistan, officials said.