Islamabad: Pakistan has issued an official order to freeze the assets of and impose a travel ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar after the UN declared him a "global terrorist". Pakistan-based Azhar is also banned from selling or purchasing arms and ammunition. The UN sanctions committee on the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda on Wednesday announced the designation of Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), over its ties to Al-Qaeda.

The JeM has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers and led to a spike in military tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistan's foreign ministry, in a notification issued Wednesday said: "the Federal Government is pleased to order that the Resolution 2368 (2017) be fully implemented" against Azhar. The government directed officials to take actions "as appropriate for the implementation of sanctions" against the JeM chief, according to the notification. The UN designated Azhar as a "global terrorist" after China lifted its hold on a proposal by the US, the UK and France to blacklist him.