Thursday, March 28, 2024

UN must credibly address terrorism: Jaishankar scathing on Pakistan, China





India has asserted that the global community must not condone terrorism in any form whatsoever. Nor should it allow terrorists to be glorified and terrorism justified, Union Minister of External Affairs EAM S Jaishankar told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. He was speaking to the UNSC for the first time after India assumed its membership on January 1 this year.

Jaishankar was unsparing in his attack on Pakistan which was providing five-star treatment to Dawood Ibrahim who was responsible for the 1993 Mumbai blasts. The minister said that all member states must fulfill their obligations enshrined in international counter-terrorism instruments and conventions.

“First we must all summon up the political will to unhesitatingly combat terrorism. There must be no ifs and buts in this fight. No should we allow terrorism to be justified and terrorists glorified,” Jaishankar said. He was speaking to the UN Ministerial Meeting on Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts: “International cooperation in combating terrorism 20 years after the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001)”.

Proposing an eight-point plan of action, Jaishankar said that the UN system must credibly address terrorism. “We, in India, have seen the crime syndicate responsible for the 1993 Mumbai blasts not just given the state protection but actually enjoying 5-star hospitality,” he said in a reference to Dawood Ibrahim, hiding in Pakistan.

It was in August 2020 that Pakistan had acknowledged Dawood’s presence on its soil. Jaishankar emphasised that the international community must not countenance double standards in the battle against terrorism. “The practice of placing blocks and holds on listing requests without any rhyme or reason must end. This only erodes our collective credibility,” he said.

This was a clear reference to China which had blocked India’s bid to get Jaish e Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar listed as “global terrorist”. It was after 10 years that India could get Masood listed under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UNSC.


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