Pulwama attack: US, India consent to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as 'global terrorist'

New Delhi, Feb 16 In a major boost to India, the United States has consented to back New Delhi's bid to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as 'global terrorist'.

The assurance to India came from US National Security Advisor John Bolton when he called his Indian partner Ajit Doval and communicated sympathies and shock over the Pulwama terror attack arranged by Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).

The two NSAs agreed to hold Pakistan accountable for its obligations under the United Nations resolutions and to remove all obstacles to designating JeM chief Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist' under the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 Committee process.

"National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had a phone call with his US partner Ambassador John Bolton on the night of 15 February. The call was started by the US side to express sympathies and shock over the Pulwama assault by Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM)," read an official statement.

Bolton likewise stretched out help on India's right side to self-protection against cross-fringe fear based oppression.

He further offered all help to India to bring the culprits and supporters of the assault expeditiously to equity.

The two NSAs also vowed to cooperate to guarantee that Pakistan stops to be a place of refuge for JeM and other terrorist groups that target India, the US and others in the region.

Prior, the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requested that Pakistan end its help to terrorist safe havens inside the country.

"We remain with India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not give a place of refuge to terrorists to threaten international security," Pompeo said on Twitter.

In a stern message to Pakistan, the White House had asked Islamabad to "quickly end" its "support" to all terror groups and not to give "place of refuge" to them, as the US denounced the ruthless Pulwama fear assault killed no less than 40 CRPF officers.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama region on Thursday that left somewhere around 40 CRPF warriors dead and five others critically injured.

"The United States calls on Pakistan to end promptly the help and place of refuge gave to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a late night statement on Thursday.