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Terrorist funding through support systems in South Asia must be cut off: Sushma Swaraj at UN
China has repeatedly prevented the UN from designating Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
India told its BRICS partners on Thursday that terrorist groups are continuing to find “sustenance and support systems” in South Asia and in countries that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy — an obvious reference to Pakistan, whose “all-weather ally” China is a member of this group.
“The horror of terrorism continues to haunt global peace and security,” external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said at a BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) meeting, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “Terror groups draw sustenance from support systems in South Asia.”
“They continue to find support and shelter in countries which use terrorism as an instrument of State Policy,” she said, in a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan, which has come under international scrutiny and approbation, including from one-time ally the United States.
Beijing has for months prevented the UN from designating Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The move was initiated by India and has subsequently been backed by all other permanent members of the Security Council, but China has cited unconvincing technical reasons for its opposition.
“There is need for collective efforts to disrupt terrorist networks, their financing and movement,” Swaraj said, according to a tweet by external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
“Terrorist funding, their weapons supply, training and political support must be systematically cut off,” she added.
