External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took a veiled jibe at Pakistan, emphasizing the need to identify and punish the perpetrators, facilitators, financiers, and sponsors of terrorism. In an interview with Kazinform News during the 24th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Astana, Kazakhstan, Jaishankar highlighted the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism as priorities for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
“The fight against the three evils — terrorism, separatism, and extremism — is a priority in SCO,” Jaishankar stated. He underlined that terrorism is a major global challenge, posing a threat to regional and global peace, necessitating urgent action.
Jaishankar advocated for a comprehensive approach to combating terrorism, addressing not only the perpetrators of terrorist acts but also their facilitators, financiers, and sponsors. He emphasized the SCO’s potential, through its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), to propose effective measures against terrorism in the region.
Referring specifically to Pakistan, Jaishankar remarked on the persistent threat posed by state-supported terrorism in the region, despite global counter-terrorism measures, including those by the UN Security Council. “The UN-designated terror outfits are still functioning in the region,” he said.
The Astana Summit Declaration, issued after the summit, echoed Jaishankar’s sentiments. It stated, “The Member States are unanimous in recognising the need to improve SCO mechanisms to counter security challenges and threats and expand specialised cooperation in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as drug trafficking, arms smuggling and other types of transnational organized crime.”
India and Pakistan have been permanent members of the SCO since 2017, joining the founding members Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The organization was established in 2001 with the aim of fostering regional security and cooperation.
