AT the 15th trilateral meeting in December last year the foreign ministers of China, Russia and India agreed to cooperate in countering terrorism. It seems a positive development provided India also decides to shun its dual policy of blaming others without credible evidence for supporting terrorism. Let us note that India itself is using terrorism to advance its politico-military interests in the region.

The global cooperation on countering terrorism is something on which Pakistan has emphasised in the last many years. Last month, while addressing the security conference held in Munich, while the Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa talked about Pakistan’s contributions to the war on terror being fought in Afghanistan. He also highlighted the need for the international community to cooperate in countering this menace.

Success can only be achieved if the war on terror is separated from politics, especially in South Asia. While talking about countering terrorism, India accuses Pakistan of supporting terrorism without presenting cogent evidence.

It refuses to accept that it is, in fact, sponsoring terrorism in Balochistan, using Afghan soil. This is despite the most credible evidence in the shape of the confessional statement by RAW spy Kulbushan Jadhav.

India also does not talk about its state terrorism in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The international community should realise that terrorism will not stop if some states continue to charge and condemn others for supporting terrorism, but they themselves continue to use terrorism to advance their interests.

Col. (r) Muhammad Hanif
Islamabad