India shocked at Pakistan’s new UN counter-terrorism role – defense minister

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed shock and disappointment over the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) decision to appoint Pakistan as the vice-chair of its counter-terrorism committee. In a public address on Tuesday, Singh questioned the intentions and policies of international organizations in light of the move.

Last week, the UNSC appointed Pakistan as vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee consisting of 15 nations. “Its land has been used as a refuge by global terrorist organizations. There, terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar roam around openly, and senior officers of Pakistan Army attend the funerals of terrorists,” Singh said. “Now, the same country is expected to lead the global community against terrorism. This raises serious questions on the intentions and policies of the international system.”

India and Pakistan have fought four wars since the countries gained independence from British rule in 1947. Their most recent military standoff began on May 7, when India launched strikes against suspected terror targets in Pakistan-controlled territory.

New Delhi said the strikes were conducted in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in India’s union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in late April that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The Resistance Front, believed to be linked to the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility for the attack, but later denied it. Islamabad also denied having any involvement in the Kashmir attack. 

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Pakistan retaliated to India’s May 7 strikes, and after intense fighting over the next few days, the two nuclear-armed nations announced a ceasefire on May 10. On Tuesday, India’s defense minister also called on the international community to cease funding Pakistan, claiming that the money ultimately supported the infrastructure of terrorism.

He advocated for the international community to exert strategic, diplomatic, and economic pressure on Pakistan to compel it to address terrorism. Singh suggested that if Pakistan was unable to take action against terrorism within its own territory, it should consider seeking assistance from India.

He said the Indian armed forces possessed the capability to conduct counter-terror operations on both sides of the border.