Snakes in the backyard

Cross-border terrorism remains a live threat; an exception can’t be made for Pakistan

India has used the global response to terrorism to highlight the dysfunctional state of the United Nations, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar telling the General Assembly that the world body has been unable to do enough to forge common ground on challenges such as terror and conflicts. Jaishankar used India’s statement at the General Assembly to once again highlight the need to counter terrorism emanating from Pakistan, to which international terror attacks have been traced back and whose nationals often find mention in lists of sanctioned terrorists. While reiterating Pakistan’s links to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian side again called for deeper global cooperation to oppose the use of terrorism as State policy, the mushrooming of terror hubs and the financing of terrorism. Given the newfound bonhomie between the leadership of the US and Pakistan, Jaishankar’s remark that those who condone nations sponsoring terror “will find that it comes back to bite them”, is a timely reminder of the fallout of the activities of Pakistan-based terror organisations.

Jaishankar’s remark that those who condone nations sponsoring terror “will find that it comes back to bite them” is a timely reminder of the fallout of the activities of Pakistan-based terror organisations, against the backdrop of the newfound bohomie between Pakistan and the US (S Jaishankar-X)

The Indian statement was also a riposte to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address at the UN General Assembly, especially his contention that Islamabad faced “unprovoked aggression” in May and that his country had agreed to a ceasefire facilitated by US President Donald Trump from a position of strength. Sharif would do well to remember that the hostilities with India were caused by the failure of successive Pakistani governments to rein in terrorist groups that have had virtually a free run of the country. Sharif may have based his stance, including a fresh offer of a comprehensive dialogue with India, on the improvement of ties with the US. But it was just seven years ago that Trump excoriated Pakistan by saying that the country had given “nothing but lies and deceit” to the US after receiving billions of dollars in aid.

The links between Pakistan-based terror organisations and groups such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State have impacted countries in the West in the past. Former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was sheltered in Pakistan for years before he was killed by US special forces right next to one of the country’s most important military academies. For India, cross-border terrorism remains a live threat, as proved by the reprehensible attack in Pahalgam, and there can be no letting down of the guard. In that context, Jaishankar’s remarks were reminiscent of former US secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s warning that Pakistan can’t keep snakes in its backyard and expect them to bite only neighbours.