Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, today said that nations that support terrorism must be named and shamed.
“Naming and shaming must be carried out relentlessly in the case of perpetrators, supporters and connivers of terrorism,” he said while speaking at a conference on counter-terrorism in Jaipur. The event was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday.
Jaishankar spoke at length about terrorism and how this global challenge needed to be dealt with. Again, without naming Pakistan, he talked about the role of non-state actors. It is significant to note here that Pakistan has often blamed non-state actors for carrying out terrorist strikes in India. Even in the case of the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, Pakistan had blamed non-state actors.
“This is now where the ‘non-state’ actor comes in; occasionally as a genuine outcome of governance incapability, but more often as an escape clause. It isn’t difficult in this modern age to trace the roots of a terrorist attack to a particular geography,” Jaishankar said.
“In most cases, it is difficult for non-state actors to operate without the support and connivance of states. If we can move in the direction of a state-centred regime based on strict responsibility and accountability, it would certainly have a major impact on the freedom of non-state actors to propagate, operate and perpetrate. If nothing else, it would narrow the problem considerably and allow genuine non-state actors to be tackled in a more targeted manner,” he said.
“What may work in the case of states would obviously not always do so with non-state forces. They have no reputation to lose. If anything, they thrive on a bad one,” he said.
Jaishankar, while responding to questions at the end of his speech, said that India continued to be in touch with Pakistan over the Pathankot attacks.
“Naming and shaming must be carried out relentlessly in the case of perpetrators, supporters and connivers of terrorism,” he said while speaking at a conference on counter-terrorism in Jaipur. The event was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday.
Jaishankar spoke at length about terrorism and how this global challenge needed to be dealt with. Again, without naming Pakistan, he talked about the role of non-state actors. It is significant to note here that Pakistan has often blamed non-state actors for carrying out terrorist strikes in India. Even in the case of the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, Pakistan had blamed non-state actors.
“This is now where the ‘non-state’ actor comes in; occasionally as a genuine outcome of governance incapability, but more often as an escape clause. It isn’t difficult in this modern age to trace the roots of a terrorist attack to a particular geography,” Jaishankar said.
“In most cases, it is difficult for non-state actors to operate without the support and connivance of states. If we can move in the direction of a state-centred regime based on strict responsibility and accountability, it would certainly have a major impact on the freedom of non-state actors to propagate, operate and perpetrate. If nothing else, it would narrow the problem considerably and allow genuine non-state actors to be tackled in a more targeted manner,” he said.
“What may work in the case of states would obviously not always do so with non-state forces. They have no reputation to lose. If anything, they thrive on a bad one,” he said.
Jaishankar, while responding to questions at the end of his speech, said that India continued to be in touch with Pakistan over the Pathankot attacks.
