Presiding over a UNSC program on the threat from terrorist acts, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asked the Council not to take a selective approach to the issue as he expressed concern over India’s concerns about development in Afghanistan and emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries. Underscored its continuous efforts to fight terrorist activities. beyond its limits.
Official sources said UNSC member states joined India’s call for a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, adopting a “very strong, genuine and forward-looking” press statement, addressing key concerns. Was underlined, one in particular to be sure. “Tougher checks on the financing of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist attacks to justice”.
“Whether it is in Afghanistan or against India, groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba And Jaish-e-Mohammed continues to work with both impunity and encouragement. Therefore, it is important that this council does not take a selective, tactical or even a complacent approach to the problems we face,” Jaishankar said.
“We should never turn our backs on terrorists to safe havens or neglect to augment their resources. And when we see that state hospitality is being extended to those who have innocent blood in their hands, we should not lack the courage to say this double speech. We heard from the briefers about the growing onslaught of the pandemic. What is true about Covid is even more true about terrorism: none of us is safe until we are all safe,” he said. He said some countries continue to break the collective resolve to fight terrorism.
While the minister did not directly name Pakistan, he said it was a serious cause for concern that various terrorist organizations such as ISIL, al-Qaeda, Lashkar, Jaish, Haqqani network and their frontal outfits were growing in strength and new Getting the base. impunity, incentives and state sponsored hospitality”.
The minister said in his neighborhood of India, ISIL-Khorasani (ISIL-K) had become more energetic, continually seeking to expand its footprint and the increasing activities of the banned Haqqani network justified the growing concern about Afghanistan.
Jaishankar recalled the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack and the 2019 suicide attack in Pulwama and expressed solidarity and sympathy with the victims and their families. He said that India has been at the forefront of global counter-terrorism efforts under the aegis of the United Nations.
The minister was presiding over the UNSC open briefing on ‘threats to international peace and security due to terrorist acts’. As a country that has borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism, sources said, this will be a priority issue for India even during the remainder of her tenure in the Security Council.
India will chair the UNSC Counter Terror Committee in 2022, and hopes to build on the gains from the event.
Jaishankar also called for the rapid adoption of the India-run Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, which is seen as the key to future global counter-terrorism efforts. He also asked the council to consider his “eight-point action plan” on terrorism, which he announced earlier this year, and encouraged member states to collectively build on these principles.
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