France is likely to bring a proposal in the next few days for a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. India and France are also giving a “cautious” consideration to several other options including bringing similar proposals against Azhar’s brother Abdul Rauf Asghar, an accused in the Pathankot attack

NEW DELHI: Looking to build upon the strong UNSC condemnation of the Pulwama attack, France is likely to bring a proposal in the next few days for a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. However, to give teeth to the diplomatic offensive against the Pakistan based terror group, India and France are also giving a "cautious" consideration to several other options including bringing similar proposals against Azhar's brother Abdul Rauf Asghar, an accused in the Pathankot attack case, and some other individuals associated with JeM.

The government is preparing dossiers backed by solid evidence for a UN ban on not just Azhar but also Asghar and other acknowledged JeM terrorists, official sources here said.

It remains to be seen though if the names of Asghar and others are included in the proposal for inclusion of JeM leader Azhar in the UNSC 1267 sanctions list or a ban is sought on them in separate resolutions.

Efforts at the UN to designate other JeM commanders too as international terrorists could help India raise the ante on China which has in the past vetoed ban on Azhar claiming that there was not enough evidence against him.

The last time China blocked a ban on Azhar - in 2017 - India responded by saying such "selective approaches" and "double standards" would undermine the international resolve to combat terrorism. By all accounts, China is again likely to take the same position on Azhar. Beijing though could risk some embarrassment if it chooses to do the same with proposals for banning Asghar and other commanders of JeM which remains a UN-designated terrorist organisation.

Asghar was not just involved in the planning and execution of the Pathankot attack but, perhaps even more actively than his brother, has in the recent past repeatedly urged and mobilised people to carry out attacks in India. Days before the Pulwama attack, on the 'Kashmir Solidarity Day', he was quoted as having said that he was looking to terrorise India. Ibrahim Athar, another brother of Azhar, and Shahid Latif, who too is an accused in the Pathankot attack, are other JeM terrorists whose names could be considered for a UN ban.

A UNSC ban on Azhar and others will help impose targeted sanctions on these men including assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. For that to happen though, India must provide, as it has already done in the case of Azhar, enough evidence keeping in mind the listing criteria.

While the US had on the last occasion proposed a ban on Azhar, France is this time leading the efforts with help from some other European countries. Sources here said that probably having sensed the move, Pakistan had started reaching out to its own friends and allies to stall the French initiative.