New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Against the backdrop of the terror attacks at Pathankot airbase in Punjab on January 2 and in Mumbai in 2008, which claimed the lives of two French natinals, India and France on Monday called upon Pakistan to bring to book their perpetrators.
The message to Islamabad came in a joint statement on counter terrorism which was issued jointly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande led their respective sides in the delegation-level talks here.
“Stressing terrorism cannot be justified under any circumstance, regardless of its motivation, wherever and by whomsoever it is committed, both leaders asked for decisive actions to be taken against Lashkar-e-Tayibba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda,” the statement said.
“Condemning the recent terror attacks in Pathankot and Gurdaspur in India, the two countries reiterated their call for Pakistan to bring to justice their perpetrators and the perpetrators of the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which also caused the demise of two French citizens, and to ensure that such attacks do not recur in the future,” it said.
“President Hollande commended India for its stabilising role in South Asia, in particular in Afghanistan, and its recent initiative to launch a comprehensive dialogue with Pakistan.”
The two leaders also resolved to deepen cooperation to drive forward the international effort in forums like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) and ensure that UN member nations strictly comply with the Security Council resolutions.
They said there was also an urgent need to block funding avenues for terror outfits and eliminate their safe havens, training infrastructure and cross-border movement of its perpetrators towards which all countries must cooperate, especially those from where such acts originate.
“They called for actions to be taken, consistent with international law, against all entities, including States, that sponsor, provide support, active or passive, to terrorist groups or harbour them,” the statement said.