France freezes assets of Masood Azhar

PARIS: France has decided to freeze the assets of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) founder and leader Masood Azhar, the French government said on Friday.

A joint statement issued by the French interior ministry, finance ministry and foreign ministry added that France would discuss putting Masood Azhar on a European Union list of people suspected of being involved in terrorism.

Pakistan is under pressure from global powers to act against groups carrying out attacks in India, including Jaish-e-Mohammad, which claimed responsibility for a Feb. 14 attack in Kashmir that killed at least 49 Indian paramilitary police.