Pakistan will not be "pressured" by anyone on the issue of banning Masood Azhar, a top official in Islamabad said on Thursday, a day after China dismissed reports that the US, the UK and France have served an ultimatum to Beijing to lift its "technical hold" on designating the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief as a global terrorist by the UN.
Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said that Pakistan has a clear stance on Azhar.
Masood Azhar had claimed responsibility for the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
Asked about China putting a technical hold to prevent Azhar from being designated a global terrorist at the UN, Mr Faisal said: "Whatever decision Pakistan takes in this regard will be in its national interest. Pakistan will not be pressured by anyone".
China Wednesday dismissed reports that the US, the UK and France have served an ultimatum to Beijing to lift its "technical hold" by April 23 on designating Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN but claimed the vexed issue was "moving towards settlement".
After the Pulwama attack, a fresh proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the US and the UK.
However, China, a close ally of Pakistan, blocked the bid by putting a "technical hold" on the proposal. Following this, the US, backed by the UK and France, moved directly to the UN Security Council (UNSC) to blacklist Azhar.
China, a veto-wielding member of the UNSC, opposed the move, saying the issue should be resolved at the 1267 Committee itself which also functioned under the top UN body.
China, which has previously blocked bids to blacklist Azhar thrice, stalled it once again at the 1267 Committee of the UN on March 14 by putting a "technical hold".
US Expresses "Great Concern" Over Pakistan's Decision To Ban Imran Khan's Party Indian Vlogger Forces Scooter Lift, Travels Ticketless In Bus In China, Internet Outraged "Process Has To Be Consistent": Pakistan All-Rounder Shadab Khan Opens Up About His Lean Patch Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Recalled To Academy, Training Put On Hold What Trump Rally Shooter Did On Last Day Of His Life Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Elon Musk To Move Companies Out Of California Over Transgender Law Four In Five Americans Fear Country Is Sliding Into Chaos: Polls Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.