With concerns over the possibility of Afghanistan being the launch pad of terrorism, India opines that the deteriorating situation there since the takeover by the Taliban would embolden the terror groups active in Pakistan, such as LeT and JeM, which continue to enjoy its hospitality.
S Jaishankar, the foreign minister, asked the council not to hold a selective view as he underscored India’s concerns about Afghanistan’s overthrow of the government and its continuous efforts to fight the terror activities operated from the sanctuaries its borders offer.
India’s zero-tolerance towards terrorism
UNSC members joined India with absolutely no tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms. They are to ensure strict checks on punishing the perpetrators of terror attacks and terror financing. The committee called to bring the states who harbor these terrorists with the blood of the innocent on their hands under a scanner.
Pakistan as a serious concern
The various terror organizations like Al-Qaeda, LeT, Haqqani Network is growing and gaining strength in this state. The foreign minister recalled the Mumbai terror attack of 2008, Pathankot airbase attack in 2016, and the suicide bombing at Pulwama and expressed solidarity towards the victims’ families.
India at the global forefront to counter-terrorism
Under the auspices of the UN, India is prepared to take on terrorism at war footing. It will be India’s priority as the country has borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism. India is also on the path to swiftly pilot the Comprehensive Convection on International Terrorism. It will counter-terrorism globally.
The pandora box of Afghanistan
India is actively working with its international partners to evacuate Indians from Kabul. Ambassador Rupendra Tandon and staff from the embassy in Kabul were brought back home in the wake of the escalating tensions and uncertainties in Kabul. Jaishankar has emphasized that the Nation’s top priority is the repatriation of Indian Nationals.
The Indian Air Force, in its C-17 Globemaster aircraft carried around 150 people, including security personnel, officials, diplomats, and stranded Indians, and landed at the Hindon airbase after a halt at Jamnagar in Gujarat.
In conclusion
The unprecedented events in Afghanistan have enhanced global concerns about regional and international security. Activities of the Haqqani Network justify the growing tensions. The foreign ministry concluded that India’s neighborhood, Islamic State in Iraq, and the Levant pose a threat.
India needs to step up to the challenge. Now is the time for India to salvage its credibility and become hospitable for asylum seekers for those displaced from their homes in Afghanistan. Approaching the refugee crisis and the immediate layout of refugee law is the need of the hour.
