New Delhi: Launching yet another attack against Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council, India's envoy to the United Nations TS Tirumurti highlighted Pakistan's support to cross border terrorism and its role as a road blocker on taking action against 26/11 perpetrators, even after 10 years.
Speaking at the UNSC, Tirumurti said, "As a country that has long borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism, including the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and the 2016 Pathankot terror act, with victims of both these dastardly acts yet to get justice, India is acutely aware of the human cost of terrorism and remains fully committed to bringing the perpetrators of these terror attacks to justice."
Taking the central arena at the UNSC briefing on ‘Threat to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts’, Tirumurti said, "We should not forget the fact that, even after 20 years of September 11 attacks, we have leaders who, without any remorse, continue to defend Osama Bin Laden as a martyr".
It is pertinent to note that Osama Bin Laden was killed by the American forces in a massive military operation in Pakistan's Abbottabad, less than a mile away from Pakistan's oldest military academy.
Pakistan's PM Imran Khan had also faced global criticism after he had addressed Osama as a martyr in Parliament.
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Indian envoy also highlighted that terrorism in its neighbourhood has been exacerbated by the changed political situation in Afghanistan, in a clear reference to the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, and further noted, "We have been highlighting consistently the threat of terrorism in our neighbourhood. These security fears have been further exacerbated by the changed political situation in Afghanistan."
The report of the UNSC's Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team had raised concerns over continuous links between the Taliban, especially through the Haqqani Network, and Al Qaida, he added.
The envoy said, "We have been reiterating the close links between proscribed terrorist entities under the 1267 sanctions regime such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terror groups, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad", however, "in spite of repeatedly flagging these concerns, the SG’s report has failed to take notice of these linkages".
He hoped that in future iterations of such reports, "inputs from all member states would be treated on an equal footing and an evidence-based and credible yardstick be applied by its authors."
The envoy also highlighted the re-emergence of ISIL in Syria and Iraq and called for urgent action by the International community.
Reiterating New Delhi's position, Tirumurti noted that terrorism can neither be defeated by forming alliances with non-sovereign entities nor while pursuing narrow political agendas.
He also mentioned the threats posed by the terror outfits such as IS and Alqaeda in Asia and Africa and applauded the efforts of the local combat forces in Africa in neutralizing these terror outfits.
Talking about the recent terror threats through drones in Saudi and UAE, Tirumurti called for the need to work "together to develop appropriate solutions" and "evolve global standards to address these threats."
Reiterating India's External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar's eight-point action plan, Tirumurti at the session repeated the above-noted plan whose core emphasis is on "no double standards" on dealing with the terrorists and that terrorists are terrorists, distinctions are made only at our own peril.
