Work towards eliminating terrorism, Rajnath Singh tells SCO member states

Singh’s call for clamping down on terrorism came days after five soldiers were killed when terrorists ambushed an army truck ferrying them between Jammu & Kashmir’s Bhimber Gali and Poonch

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asked the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states to work towards eliminating terrorism. Speaking at the defence ministers’ meeting of the grouping, he asked them to fix accountability on those who aid or fund terror, officials familiar with the matter said.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh. (ANI)

Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif skipped the meeting. A Pakistani government representative attended the SCO meeting virtually from Islamabad, the officials said.

Singh’s call for clamping down on terrorism came days after five soldiers were killed when terrorists ambushed an army truck ferrying them between Jammu & Kashmir’s Bhimber Gali and Poonch.

Addressing his SCO counterparts, Singh said any kind of terrorist act or support for it in any form is a major crime against humanity, and peace and prosperity cannot coexist with this menace.

“If a nation shelters terrorists, it not only poses a threat to others, but for itself too,” Singh said, without naming Pakistan.

Addressing the Army Commanders’ Conference on April 19, Singh said that proxy war by the adversary was continuing. “Radicalisation of youth is a cause of concern not only from the point of view of security, but it is also a major obstacle in the path of socio-economic progress of society. If we want to make SCO a stronger and more credible international organisation, our top-most priority should be to effectively deal with terrorism.”