<p class="title">The United States on Wednesday circulated a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that would blacklist the leader of a Pakistan-based Islamist group as a terrorist, setting up a potential clash with China over the move.</p>.<p class="bodytext">China earlier this month put on hold a request to put Masood Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on the UN sanctions list, over his alleged ties to Al-Qaeda.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That request stalled in a UN sanctions committee, prompting the United States to turn directly to the Security Council with the proposed resolution blacklisting Azhar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops and stoked tensions between India and Pakistan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The draft resolution obtained by AFP condemns the suicide bombing and decides that Azhar will be added to the UN Al-Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions blacklist.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That would subject Azhar, considered the founder of JeM, to a global travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It remained unclear when a vote would be held on the draft resolution, which could face a veto from China, one of the five permanent council members along with Britain, France, Russia and the United States.</p>.<p class="bodytext">There have been four attempts through a UN sanctions committee to add Azhar to the blacklist. China blocked three previous requests and put a technical hold on the latest one, which could last up to nine months. JeM itself has been on the UN terror list since 2001.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Azhar is linked to terrorism for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities" carried out by JeM, according to an annex to the draft.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The draft resolution is backed by France and Britain, which joined the United States earlier this month in pushing for sanctions against Azhar in the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State committee.</p>.<p class="bodytext">China has been accused by Western diplomats of protecting Pakistan's interests in the latest standoff with India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Beijing has defended its decision by arguing it had adopted a "responsible attitude" in dealing "with this issue with relevant parties via thorough consultation," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tensions between India and Pakistan have soared since last month's attack in Kashmir that prompted tit-for-tat air raids, fueling fears of an all-out conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Pakistan has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and Prime Minister Imran Khan offered cooperation in the investigation if credible evidence was provided by India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it. </p>
<p class="title">The United States on Wednesday circulated a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that would blacklist the leader of a Pakistan-based Islamist group as a terrorist, setting up a potential clash with China over the move.</p>.<p class="bodytext">China earlier this month put on hold a request to put Masood Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on the UN sanctions list, over his alleged ties to Al-Qaeda.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That request stalled in a UN sanctions committee, prompting the United States to turn directly to the Security Council with the proposed resolution blacklisting Azhar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops and stoked tensions between India and Pakistan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The draft resolution obtained by AFP condemns the suicide bombing and decides that Azhar will be added to the UN Al-Qaeda and Islamic State sanctions blacklist.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That would subject Azhar, considered the founder of JeM, to a global travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It remained unclear when a vote would be held on the draft resolution, which could face a veto from China, one of the five permanent council members along with Britain, France, Russia and the United States.</p>.<p class="bodytext">There have been four attempts through a UN sanctions committee to add Azhar to the blacklist. China blocked three previous requests and put a technical hold on the latest one, which could last up to nine months. JeM itself has been on the UN terror list since 2001.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Azhar is linked to terrorism for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities" carried out by JeM, according to an annex to the draft.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The draft resolution is backed by France and Britain, which joined the United States earlier this month in pushing for sanctions against Azhar in the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State committee.</p>.<p class="bodytext">China has been accused by Western diplomats of protecting Pakistan's interests in the latest standoff with India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Beijing has defended its decision by arguing it had adopted a "responsible attitude" in dealing "with this issue with relevant parties via thorough consultation," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tensions between India and Pakistan have soared since last month's attack in Kashmir that prompted tit-for-tat air raids, fueling fears of an all-out conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Pakistan has denied any role in the Pulwama attack, and Prime Minister Imran Khan offered cooperation in the investigation if credible evidence was provided by India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it. </p>