Pulwama attack:UK for declaring Azhar global terrorist

The United Kingdom is in favour of declaring Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist, in wake of the ghastly suicide attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

"We will work with India to make sure that people who are responsible for the attack are held accountable," British High Commissioner Dominic Asquith said at a select media roundtable here.

In 2016, India had initiated a process to have the United Nations Security Council recognise Azhar as a global terrorist, only to be vetoed by China, a long-standing ally of Pakistan.

NATO countries like the UK and US may not want to aggravate Pakistan, given that the country is helping the US negotiate a peace deal with the Taliban in the Afghanistan war.

The tension between India and Pakistan has steadily been escalating since the Pulwama attack.

At the Aeroshow 2019 in Bengaluru, Chief of Army Staff General Bipiun Rawat said the country will not declare its intentions when it comes to the retaliatory action out loud.

"Why do you want to inform Pakistan beforehand? This time we will not say anything," he said.

On his part, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he will not hesitate to engage India in a war.

"All this 'attack Pakistan' talk is all keeping elections in mind. But if at all these are serious, please make note of one thing clearly: Pakistan will not think of retaliating, it will retaliate," Khan said.

On this side of the border, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given free rein to the army regarding the retaliation.