United Nations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that countries with “regressive thinking” that are using terrorism as a “political tool” must understand that it is an “equally big threat” for them also.
Addressing the 76th UN General Assembly session here, Prime Minister Modi also called for ensuring that no country “tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests.”
“Today, the world is facing an increased threat of regressive thinking and extremism. In such a situation, the entire world must make science-based, rational and progressive thinking the basis for development. In order to strengthen a science-based approach, India is promoting experience-based learning,” he told the UNGA meeting.
“On the other hand, countries with regressive thinking that are using terrorism as a political tool must understand that terrorism is an equally big threat for them,” Modi said in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
Pakistan’s neighbours, including Afghanistan’s previous government and India, and the US have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants.
Modi said it is absolutely essential to ensure that Afghanistan territory is not used to spread, terrorism, and for terrorist attacks. “We also need to ensure that no country tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests,” he said.
Pakistan, specially its intelligence agencies, has close ties with the Afghan Taliban, including its dreaded faction the Haqqani Network, which has seized control of Kabul last month.
The Haqqani Network, believed to be behind a number of kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, was accused of bombing the Indian mission in Kabul in 2008 in one of the deadliest attacks in the Afghan capital that killed 58 people.
Four top leaders of the Haqqani Network are holding key positions in the interim Taliban government which includes at least 14 Cabinet members blacklisted by the UN.
Under India’s Presidency last month, the UN Security Council adopted a strong resolution reiterating “the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including those individuals and entities designated pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and notes the Taliban’s relevant commitments.”
At the time, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said that the resolution “underlines terrorist individuals and entities designated by UN Security Council (resolution) 1267. This is of direct importance to India.”
“Needless to say the adoption of the resolution is a strong signal from the Security Council and the international community on its expectations in respect of Afghanistan,” he had said.
In his speech, Prime Minister Modi said that the world must fulfil its duty by providing help to the people in war-torn Afghanistan where women, children and minorities are in need.
“At this time, the people of Afghanistan, the women and children of Afghanistan, and the minorities of Afghanistan need help. And we must fulfill our duty by providing them with this help,” Modi said. Last month, India had warned that a “grave” humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the war-torn country and everyone is concerned about the increasing violations of fundamental rights of the Afghan people.