Victims of 26/11, Pathankot terror attacks still waiting for justice, says India

India has yet again highlighted that victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and Pathankot terror attack are yet to get justice due to Pakistan's "non cooperative" attitude.

Speaking at the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of terrorism, Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh in ministry of external affairs said,"would like to highlight that, for example, the victims of 2008 Mumbai terror attack and 2016 Pathankot terror attack are yet to get justice."

Without taking Pakistan's name, the Indian diplomat said, "This is due to the unwillingness and non-cooperative attitude of a particular country."

Both the attacks were perpetrated by Pakistan-based terror groups and despite India giving evidence of their involvement, Islamabad has taken no action against them.

"While terrorists can never succeed in achieving their nefarious objectives they leave behind a "trail of death and destruction" & even, amidst the ongoing pandemic, terrorism continues to pose a critical threat to international peace and security", stepping up the use of information technology "for propaganda and for issuing threats further exacerbating the stress on victims of terror," noted Vijay Thakur Singh.

India has been calling for a common definition of terror via CCIT or Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations. Proposed in 1996 by India, the draft remains stuck due to lack of consensus at the world body.

Secretary (East) elaborated on the impact of terrorism on women and childen saying"Acts of terrorism not only violate the rights of individual victims but they also deeply affect the enjoyment of a range of rights by the families of the victims and society as a whole."

Adding,"Measures aimed at addressing the needs of the victims of terrorism, therefore, should factor in the sensitivities of these vulnerable sections of the society. Efforts should also be made to work with the victims to build a counter narrative against the hateful propaganda of terrorism."

Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism was launched last year by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.Group is the initiative of the Permanent Missions of Afghanistan and Spain to the United Nations, and has 24 Member States including India.UN Office of Counter-Terrorism & UN Office on Drugs and Crime are observer members of the grouping.