- US, India urge Islamabad to crack down on extremist groups.
- Biden, Modi stress bringing perpetrators of terror attack to justice.
- Leaders “reiterated their strong support for a peaceful Afghanistan”.
US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have jointly demanded Islamabad take steps to make sure that Pakistani soil is not being used in “launching terror attacks”.
A joint statement issued after the meeting of Biden with the Indian premier, who is visiting the United States, said that their countries stood together against global terrorism.
The two leaders called for action against extremist groups allegedly based in Pakistan such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
“They strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks,” the 58-point statement issued by the White House read.
Biden and Modi also reiterated the call for concerted action against all UN-listed terrorist groups including Al-Qa’ida, Daesh and Hizb-ul-Mujhahideen.
They stressed bringing the perpetrators of attacks, including the bloody 2008 siege of Mumbai and the Pathankot incidents.
Moreover, while discussing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Biden and Modi concurred on the need for uninterrupted provision of immediate assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
“The leaders reiterated their strong support for a peaceful, secure, and stable Afghanistan,” the statement read.
They also urged the Taliban to abide by UNSC Resolution 2593 which demands “Afghan territory should never be used to threaten or attack any country, shelter or train terrorists, or plan or finance terrorist attacks”.
The leaders stressed the need for the formation of an inclusive political structure, calling on the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans inclusive of women and girls.
The two countries also voiced “deep concern about the deteriorating situation in Myanmar,” where the military ousted a fledgling civilian government in 2021. They called for the release of all those arbitrarily detained, the establishment of constructive dialogue, and the transition of the Southeast Asian country toward an inclusive federal democratic system.
President Biden highlighted the impactful participation of Prime Minister Modi in the G7 Hiroshima Summit and said that he looks forward to the G20 Summit in September in New Delhi. He also applauded India’s leadership in its ongoing G20 Presidency,
