ISLAMABAD: India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh on Thursday closed their ranks against Pakistan during the 7th meeting of the Saarc interior/ home ministers here.
In his speech, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: “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 eulogized as martyrs. 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.”
Rajnath expressed his serious displeasure when Nisar said there was a marked difference between terrorism and freedom struggle.Soon after his departure for New Delhi, Rajnath lodged a complaint with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is expected to speak in parliament on Friday (today).
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured the world that Pakistan was committed to working jointly with the Saarc member states in fighting terrorism, corruption and organised crimes.
Chairing the meeting, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan called on regional countries to differentiate between terrorism and freedom movements sanctified by the UN Security Council.
The meeting was attended by the home ministers of Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka and deputy home ministers of Afghanistan, Maldives and Home Secretary of Nepal. Bangladesh was represented by its high commissioner to Islamabad.
The meeting commended the efforts of immigration authorities and interior/home secretaries from Saarc member states who met in Islamabad on August 2 and 3. Among others, the ministers approved the recommendations of interior/home secretaries for issuing three-year validity of Saarc visa exemption stickers to the GS Staff working at the Saarc Secretariat.
The meeting commended the efforts of immigration authorities and interior/home secretaries from the Saarc member states who met in Islamabad on August 2-3. Bangladesh High Commissioner in Pakistan Tarik Ahsan said his government was determined to break the nexus of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation “at any cost”.
Tarik Ahsan said Bangladesh believes regional cooperation is “an effective way forward”. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal skipped the meeting, but the government did not cite any reason. Dhaka-Islamabad relations have hit a low in recent years over Pakistan’s reactions to Dhaka’s war crimes trial.
Addressing the ceremony, Saarc Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa stressed the need for taking effective measures to tackle narcotics, terrorism, cyber crimes and other transnational crimes. He said Saarc condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations adding that there was a need for effective cooperation among the member countries to combat this menace.https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/140300-India-Afghanistan-and-BD-close-ranks-against-Pakistan
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