ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate Standing Committee on Defence on Wednesday strongly condemned the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement about sponsoring terrorism to counter terrorism, calling it the provocative and irresponsible.
In its meeting held in Islamabad with the Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in the Chair, the committee said that the statement of the Indian defence minister is tantamount to a confession that India is pursuing a policy of state sponsored terrorism.
In a resolution, the committee said that the Indian admission of sponsoring terrorism has serious implications for all of India’s neighbours particularly Pakistan.
The defence committee urged the government to take up this issue with the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union.
The committee said that the Indian defence minister’s statement is a serious threat to peace, security, stability and good-neighborly relations in South Asia and undermines the global war against terrorism and extremism.
Earlier at an event in New Delhi, the Indian defence minister asserted that terrorists have to be neutralized only through terrorists.
“We have to neutralize terrorists through terrorists only. Why can’t we do it? We should do it. Why does my soldier have to do it?” Manohar Parrikar said.
“There are certain things that I obviously cannot discuss here. But if there is any country, planning something against my country, we will definitely take some pro-active steps.”
