Terror emanating from Pakistan dominated the discussions at the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Amritsar on Sunday with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani directly blaming Pakistan for covertly supporting several terror networks, including the Taliban to destablise his country. For his part, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not name Pakistan but made it obvious as he called for a resolute action not just against forces of terrorism but also against those who support, shelter, train, finance them. “Silence and inaction will only embolden terrorists and their masters,” he said.
The conference adopted the Amritsar Declaration that specifically mentioned lashkar-e-Tayyeba and Jaish-e-Mohammad as groups posing threat to Afghanistan and the region along with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and Daesh. “For the first time, a HoA Declaration expressed concern at the violence caused in Afghanistan and the region by terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, Daesh, leT and JeM,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said while briefing the media after the talks.
At the same time, the HoA countries urged the Afghan Taliban and other armed groups to enter into peace talks with the Afghan Government. The delegates also expressed concerns on the increase in production and cultivation of opium in Afghanistan, the volume of drug trafficking and demand in the HoA region and beyond. “This requires further eradication efforts and poses a threat to the socio-economic development, security and stability not only in Afghanistan, but also in the surrounding region and the world as a whole,” the Declaration said.
Though completely cornered from all sides, Pakistan remained defiant. “It is simplistic to blame only one country for the recent upsurge in violence. We need to have an objective and holistic view,” said Pak PM’s advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaz Aziz in his speech while adding that the security situation in Afghanistan was very complex. Interestingly, contrary to the claims by Pakistani media there was “no pull aside or bilateral meeting” between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Aziz.
In his inaugural address at the conference, Modi said the growing arc of terrorist violence is posing the gravest threat to the region. “Terrorism and externally induced instability pose the gravest threat to Afghanistan’s peace, stability and prosperity. And, the growing arc of terrorist violence endangers our entire region. As such, support for voices of peace in Afghanistan alone is not enough. It must be backed by resolute action. Not just against forces of terrorism, but also against those who support, shelter, train and finance them. Silence and inaction against terrorism in Afghanistan and our region will only embolden terrorists and their masters,” the PM said in an obvious reference to Pakistan.
Afghanistan had circulated a draft regional counter-terrorism framework prior to the conference urging countries to adopt the document that has binding clauses. The draft framework, however, was referred to an Expert Committee. “Apart from calling for concerted international cooperation to this end, the Declaration also calls for early finalisation of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and early meeting of experts to discuss a draft Regional Counter-Terrorism Framework Strategy, recently prepared by Afghanistan, for its early finalisation,” Jaitley said.
In a hard hitting attack on Pakistan, Ghani accused it of launching an undeclared war on Afghanistan. He specifically underlined that India was doing a great work in the rebuilding of Afghanistan without having any hidden deals or deals. He was speaking at the joint inauguration of the annual Ministerial conference with Modi that was attended by representatives of 30 countries.
Criticising Pak for its attitude of denying cross border terror attacks, Ghani called for putting in place mechanism, without Rsplaying games’ to find out who was benefiting from terror, extremism and other illicit activities. He said time has come for concrete action against terror infrastructure and those support it, and quoted a top Taliban commander saying unless terror sanctuaries were allowed in Pakistan, the outfit will not last even a month. “This is unacceptable... Some still provide sanctuary for terrorists. As a Taliban figure said recently, if they had no sanctuary in Pakistan, they wouldn’t last a month,” Ghani said.
While saying military operations in Pakistan have brought about selective displacement of terrorists, Ghani added no amount of money can assist Afghanistan if there is support to terrorists by Pakistan.
Expressing India’s strong commitment to Afghanistan’s transition, Modi called for sustained and sincere global efforts to bring durable peace and lasting political stability to Afghanistan and announced that the two countries will soon be through an air transport corridor. PM’s statement comes days after wheat sent by India to Afghanistan to meet its food shortage crisis was blocked by Pakistan on the Wagah border. India also pledged addition $1 billion assistance to Afghanistan apart from the $2 billion promised earlier.