At UNSC, India highlights Pakistan's link with Al Qaeda, Islamic State in South Asia

New Delhi: India on Wednesday pointed out the links of Pakistan with terror groups like Al Qaeda, the Islamic State (ISIL) and "safe havens" being provided to them in the country. India's envoy to United Nations TS Tirumurti said, "It is essential that we don’t lose sight of the ease with which the proscribed Haqqani Network and its supporters, especially the Pakistani authorities, have worked along with prominent terrorist organizations like Al-Qaida, ISIL K, Tehrik–Taliban Pakistan, etc. in South Asia."

Tirumurti explained that the "world is fully aware that these groups also perpetrate terrorist activities from safe havens in Pakistan, including through violent attacks in Afghanistan that have disrupted the peace process". India's comments came at a UNSC briefing on the 12th report of the UN Secretary-General (SG) on the threat posed by the Islamic State (ISIL/Da'esh) to international peace and security. 

The Indian envoy said that UNSG’s report on ISIL "should cover activities" of the proscribed terrorist entities under UN's ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions regimes like Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistan based terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and frontal organizations.

In fact, Tirumurti pointed out the "relocation of terror groups" to Afghanistan especially in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces from across the Durand Line which is the International border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying, "to not name them in this report is doing a disservice as it gives only a partial and a biased view of the situation in the region".

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had spoken at the body in January and given eight point action plan for the UN to deal with the threat of terrorism, which including no double standards on the issue, strengthening of FATF.