Terror took the centre stage at the 'Heart of Asia' (HOA) conference in Amritsar
In clear reference to Pakistan, a conference of 40 nations today pitched for dismantling of safe havens for terror groups like LeT and JeM, amid a message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the world community that "silence and inaction" would "only embolden terrorists and their masters".
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, whose country's proposal for a framework to effectively deal with terrorism could not be adopted by the conference, made a stinging attack on Pakistan, accusing it of launching an "undeclared war" against his country by providing support and safe sanctuaries to terror groups including Taliban.
Terror took the centre stage at the 'Heart of Asia' (HOA) conference in Amritsar which was attended by Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz as also representatives of major powers, including the US and Russia and regional groupings.
While most of the countries pitched for strong action against terrorism, some said India and Pakistan should join hands in helping Afghanistan.
Hosted by India in the backdrop of several cross-border terror attacks emanating from Pakistan, the HOA adopted, after two-day deliberations, the Amritsar Declaration which pressed for dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens in the region, as well as disrupting all financial, tactical and logistical support for terror networks.
"We remain concerned by the gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan in particular and the region and the high level of violence caused by the Taliban, terrorist groups including ISIL/ DAISH and its affiliates, the Haqqani Network, Al Qaida, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah and other foreign terrorist fighters," the Declaration said.
It is for the first time that LeT and JeM have been mentioned in a declaration of the HOA, whose main objective is to discuss efforts to reconstruct and stablise war-torn Afghanistan.
"Acknowledging the support that terrorism derives in our region, we demand an immediate end to all forms of terrorism, as well as all support to it, including financing of terrorism. We recognize that terrorism is the biggest threat to peace, stability and cooperation in our region...We strongly call for concerted regional and international cooperation to ensure elimination of terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, including dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens in the Heart of Asia region, as well as disrupting all financial, tactical and logistical support for terrorism," the Declaration said.
In his address at the conference, PM Modi emphasised the need for a "strong collective will" to defeat terrorism which he described as the "gravest threat to peace and security of Afghanistan and rest of South Asia.
He pressed for "resolute action" against those who "support, train and finance" terrorism and warned that "silence and inaction" would "only embolden terrorists and their masters".