*HM briefs PM on visit after return to New Delhi
ISLAMABAD, Aug 4:
India today delivered a blunt message to Pakistan asking it to stop encouraging terror groups and “glorification” of terrorists and also called for “strongest action” against nations supporting terrorism and their isolation.
Without mincing any words amid the strain in Indo-Pak relations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said mere condemnation of terrorism and terrorists is not enough and that there are “no good terrorists or bad terrorists”.
Singh in his address to the 7th SAARC Interiors Ministers Conference said terrorism continued to remain the biggest challenge and threat to the region.
Speaking in Hindi at the conference, Singh said there should be “strongest action not only against terrorists or organisations but also against those individuals, organisations and nations who support terrorism.”
“It also needs to be ensured that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronized by any state,” Singh said in a veiled dig at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Singh’s comments came against the backdrop of Sharif’s praise of Burhan Wani who was killed in an encounter in Kashmir on July 8 and his description of Hizbul Mujahideen commander as a martyr, much to India’s ire.
“One country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. I also speak for the entire humanity- not just for India or other SAARC members – in urging that in no circumstances should terrorists be eulogised as martyrs.”
Calling for isolation of countries or individuals who provide any kind of support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorists, he said “strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them.
“Only this will ensure that the forces engaged in promoting the heinous crime of terrorism against humanity are effectively countered.”
Stressing for greater regional prosperity and cooperation between South Asian countries, Singh, however, said that mounting threats and terror incidents endanger region’s peace and stability.
“Terrorism remains the biggest challenge and threat to our peace. South Asia continues to be deeply affected by this malady, as witnessed most recently in cowardly terrorist attacks in Pathankot, Dhaka, Kabul and other places,” Singh said after listening to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan.
“Merely strong condemnation of such terrorist attacks is not enough. We must harden our resolve to eradicate this menace and also take serious steps to this end,” he said without mincing words.
The Home Minister also touched upon the issue of countries providing safe haven to terrorists and other criminals.
Singh said the will and the mandate of international community against proscribed and wanted terrorists and their outfits must also be respected and implemented.
“If we are to rid ourselves of terrorism, we will have to genuinely believe that attempts to distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ terrorists are misleading,” he said, adding no type of terrorism or support to it can be justified on any grounds whatsoever.
Advocating an immediate and effective action against all those who support or encourage international terrorism in any way, whether they are state actors or non-state, he said “only then justice will be ensured for the victims of terrorist attacks such as in Mumbai and Pathankot. We must have the approach of ‘zero tolerance’ against any type of terrorism.”
The Home Minister called for implementation of SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and its Additional Protocol, saying that it was “crucial” in common fight against terrorism.
The Convention includes ensuring effective measures so that those committing terrorist acts do not escape prosecution and punishment, and are extradited or prosecuted.
Singh also touched upon misuse of social and digital media, a modern-day tool used by terror groups.
“In our effort to tackle terrorism, we should look into all possible avenues of cyber-crime, its linkages with the terrorist world, and how these could be dealt with.
“Attention and efforts need to be devoted to ensure that social media and other modern technology is not misused for misleading especially the youth or promoting terrorism in any way.”
He drew the attention of the participants to ratification of the SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters.
“We have not been able to benefit from the Convention, as some Member States are yet to ratify it. I would urge remaining Member States to consider ratifying the Convention at the earliest,” he said.
He also thanked the participants for extending support to India’s proposal for being the host of second Meeting of the High Level Group of Eminent Experts to Strengthen the SAARC Anti-Terrorism Mechanism in Delhi from September 22 to September 23.
On his return to New Delhi, Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to Pakistan.
Official sources said Singh rushed to meet Modi straight from the airport to “debrief” him about the events during his visit to Pakistan.
They said Singh informed PM about the speech he made at the conference, his interactions on the sidelines with the leaders, and deliberations during the official sessions.
Singh arrived here by a BSF plane at around 4.30 PM and cancelled his scheduled press briefing at the airport to meet Modi, they said.
Earlier, singh today along with his counterparts from the member countries called on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad.
Singh was part of the joint delegation of the Interior/Home Ministers of SAARC nations when they called on the Pakistani Prime Minister at his office.
“It was a formal courtesy call, nothing else,” an official said.
The Interior/Home Ministers’ of SAARC nations were with Sharif for about 20 minutes during which only pleasantries were exchanged, the official said, adding nothing formal was discussed.
The decision of Singh joining the Interior/Home Ministers in the courtesy call of Sharif was taken after several rounds of consultations among top officials of Ministries of Home, External Affairs an Prime Minister’s Office last night.
The eight-member SAARC grouping comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Rajnath Singh had no bilateral meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting.
“There was no bilateral meeting. We have already said that,” sources said.
Rajnath sought strengthening of SAARC monitoring desks on terrorism and drugs, underlining that illicit funds generated from narcotics and fake currency networks are being fed into supporting terror activities.
Terming drug abuse a grave challenge, Singh told the SAARC Interior Ministers that it is a problem which is connected with all types of organised crime.
“Today, drug business generates the highest illegal fund flows. Trafficking of drugs, coupled with the problem of increasing circulation of fake currency, feeds into supporting terrorism and can create economic de-stabilisation in our region,” Singh said.
He said that towards implementation of the Regional Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, India has offered its full support and cooperation by way of capacity building and training programmes.
“There is also a need to achieve the full potential of the SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk and the SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk,” he said.
The SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk, established in Colombo in 1995, collates, analyses and disseminates information about such crimes, tactics of terror groups, their strategies and methods. SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk is a similar desk established in Colombo in 1992 focussing on activities of narcotics traffickers.
Singh also highlighted signature schemes of Modi Government like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ asking the SAARC countries to give due priority to safety and security of women and children.
“Safety and security of women and children will determine the well-being and strength of our nations. It is timely and relevant that SAARC has accorded due priority to this area of cooperation, since new threats are emerging with increasing access to information technology and the changing nature of global economy,” Singh said.
The Home Minister said that in India, number of new initiatives such as the ‘Track Child’ national portal and ‘Operation Smile’ have been taken to rescue children.
“We shared our experience at the Ministerial Meeting of the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children, which we were privileged to host recently. Our Prime Minister had launched the flagship ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ programme,” Singh said.
He said the scheme has rapidly expanded and has started contributing to ensuring the survival, protection, education and empowerment of the girl child.
“Since this august forum also discusses our cooperation against corruption, I would like to mention that achieving greater transparency and good governance is a cornerstone of our policy,” the Minister said.
He said that through financial inclusion scheme ‘Jan Dhan Yoyana’ that leverages world’s largest biometric Unique ID system Aadhar, and Direct Benefit Transfers, India has been able to transform services delivery to ensure that benefits of public schemes reach the grass-root levels. (PTI)
No handshake…………
The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident at the SAARC Interior/ Home Ministers’ conference here when Home Minister Rajnath Singh came face- to-face with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today and the two leaders barely shook hands.
As Singh arrived at the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel here, Khan was at the gate to receive the dignitaries. The two leaders barely touched their hands, not even a formal handshake, before Singh moved ahead to enter the meeting hall.
Members of the Indian media, which came from New Delhi to report the conference, were not allowed to capture the moment and was kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, which led to a verbal dual between a senior Indian official and a Pakistani official.(PTI)
Skips lunch………………
Home Minister Rajnath Singh today skipped a lunch hosted by his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan after the host himself left the venue.
Khan had organised the lunch for the visiting dignitaries, who were here to attend the 7th SAARC Interior/ Home Ministers’ conference, and had scheduled it after the main meeting.
However, the Pakistani Interior Minister left the venue immediately after the meeting got over despite being the host of the lunch. Singh then took the decision to skip the lunch.
The Home Minister later had his lunch at his hotel room along with the members of the accompanying Indian delegation. After the lunch, Singh left for India.(PTI)
No blackout……………..
India today described the reports of a ‘blackout’ of Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement during the SAARC ministerial meeting as “Misleading”.
“With reference to the Home Ministers meeting in Islamabad earlier today, media reports of a ‘blackout’ of our Home Minister’s statement are misleading.
“It is the standard SAARC practice that the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media while the rest of the proceedings are in camera, which allows for a full and frank discussion of issues,” a Government source said.
The reaction came after there were reports that Rajnath Singh’s speech was reportedly blacked out as media organisations were not allowed to cover the 7th SAARC Home/Interior Ministers’ conference.
The only broadcaster allowed inside the venue was state-owned Pakistan Television, the reports said. (PTI)
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