‘Flabbergasted’: How Pak Media Reacted to Masood Azhar’s UN Ban

How was the news of Azhar’s Designation, and its implications, covered by the Pakistani media?

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In a huge diplomatic win for India, the United Nations on Wednesday, 1 May, designated Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him under the Security Council's Sanctions Committee .

Meanwhile, reacting to the listing by the UN, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson was quoted as saying that it will “immediately enforce UN sanctions” imposed on Azhar.

While External Affairs Ministry of India sources claimed that Pakistan was “mischievously attempting to salvage something out of this huge diplomatic setback for them by diverting the narrative”, how was the news, and its implications, covered by the Pakistani media? Here are snippets from some of the editorial pieces carried by leading news portals in Pakistan:

‘Did China Take Pak Into Confidence?’

An editorial by Muhammad Saleh Zaafir for The News noted how China’s decision had “flabbergasted diplomatic observers”.

It said that the move had perplexed the observers as it came less than a week after an “important meeting between visiting Pakistan’s top leadership and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing where the former had gone to participate in second Belt and Road International Forum (BRF).”

“The observers are intrigued with a question that did the Chinese president or the foreign minister of that country opt to take Pakistan and its visiting dignitaries, being from a very close friendly country, into confidence about changing of mind pertaining to the matter,” the editorial said.

‘Kashmir Struggle Delinked’

A piece in Express Tribune quoted a Pakistani official as saying that India tried to link the listing of JeM chief with the Kashmir freedom struggle and certain Pakistani state institutions.

“Those were our two major objections,” the official added, as per the report.

“In the latest bid, Pakistan was able to convince the UNSC members to de-link the listing of Masood from the Kashmir freedom movement,” the report said.

“That was a major diplomatic victory,” the official added.

‘China Reiterates Support to Pak’

Pakistan Today highlighted the fact that China had reiterated its support after the UN sanction on Azhar in its report.

“Expressing support for Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations, China would like to stress that Pakistan has made enormous contributions to fighting terrorism, which deserves the full recognition of the international community,” the report quoted a Chinese official as saying

“China will continue to firmly support Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorist and extremist forces,” the official added.

‘India Failed'

Another piece in The News reiterated a similar stand as The Tribune, stating that the proposal (of Azhar) has been agreed after “all political references, including removal of attempts to link it with Pulwama and maligning the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris in IOK (Kashmir) for realisation of the right to self-determination.”

It added that India failed to link Kashmiris' struggle with terrorism.

“Pakistan maintains that terrorism is a menace to the world. This includes the Indian state sponsored terrorism against innocent Kashmiris in IOK (Kashmir), including the inhuman use of pellet guns and human shields which finds no parallel in the civilised world. Indian occupation forces continue to massacre Kashmiris enjoying judicial immunity with impunity through draconian laws,” the piece added.

Most other leading dailies refrained from publishing editorials and stuck to basic news reports and news agency copies.