India and Japan on Thursday called for a "zero-tolerance approach" to terrorism and committed to cooperate in the fight against terror, including the Pakistan-based groups Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM).
In what appeared to be a reference to Pakistan, the two Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe, in their joint statement, called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists.
When it came to the issue of perpetrators of terror attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot strikes, the two leaders didn't shy away from naming Pakistan, and called upon it to bring to justice those who carried out the attacks. "PM (Narendra Modi and PM (Shinzo) Abe look forward to convening (the) 5th Japan-India consultation on terrorism and to strengthen cooperation against terrorists threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates," said the two countries in a joint statement at the end of Abe's 2-day visit to India.
Modi and Abe condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, their statement added. "They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'," the joint document said Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities, the statement said.
New Delhi has had success lately in getting Pakistan-based terror named and shamed at international forums. Earlier this month, for the first time, BRICS countries slammed Pakistan without naming it, as they "deplored" terror attacks in member countries and the "violence caused" by Pakistan-based terror outfits. n addition, the BRICS members also called for greater efficiency in designation of terrorists. This was particularly significant, because it is BRICS member China that has been blocking designating Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar a terrorist. That may now change, in a further setback for JeM.
Pakistan has been at the receiving end lately on the terror issue.
Last month, US President Donald Trump roundly criticised it for "hosting terror safe havens"+ . He also threatened to suspend aid unless Pakistan falls in line and cracks down on terror, which Trump said it is exporting to the region, including to Afghanistan.
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