Two days after it again blocked India’s move to get the United Nations to ‘ban’ Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar, China today added insult to injury by accusing India of pursuing “political gains in the name of counter-terrorism”, PTI reported.

China continuing to block this move – which would pretty much cripple Azhar ‘s ability to raise funds or to travel – comes in the context of Indo-US military ties strengthening and even as there is a rapid deterioration of Indo-Pak ties since the terror attacks in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir last month.

Also at stake for China, is the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that’s in trouble following security concerns in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. After India retaliated against Pakistan with surgical strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan, Beijing’s response was guarded. But with Saturday’s block, China appears to be sending a clear signal about whose side it is on.

“There should be no double standards on counter- terrorism. Nor should one pursue own political gains in the name of counter-terrorism,” said China’s Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong at a press briefing today, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India this week for the BRICS Summit scheduled to held October 15-16 in Goa.

Beijing on Saturday extended its technical “hold” on designating the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief a terrorist, for a further three months, in the UN Security Council’s 1267 committee. Its move came on a day when the previous Chinese “hold” was scheduled to expire.