india

Updated: Jun 29, 2020 01:10 IST

Terrorism has become a “global threat” and this “ideology” is deeply rooted and flourishing in Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, recalling the horrific 9/11 twin tower terror attack in the US.

“Now terrorism has become an ideology which is not confined to the boundary of any nation. This is a global problem and has become a global threat whose deep roots are situated in our neighbouring country and are flourishing there,” he said at “Swacchata Hi Seva” programme in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura .

Stressing the India has taken some bold steps against terrorism in the past and will continue to do so in future, PM Modi said: “The whole world needs to take a pledge and stand up against those who give shelter and training to the terrorist. India is very much capable of tackling the menace on its own.”

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Last week, India designated Pakistan-based terrorists - Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Masood Azhar; Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind and operational head of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks and Dawood Ibrahim, the Indian underworld don believed to be in Pakistan after masterminding the 1993 Mumbai bombings. These were the first designations announced by India after an existing law was amended to expand its reach to also cover individual and not just organisations.

These four men have been on the US list of designated terrorists for a long time, along with their respective outfits (with the exception of Dawood Ibrahim, who doesn’t lead a well-defined group such as the LeT or JeM); and since past April, on the UN Security Council’s blacklist as well, with Azhar being the last addition as the result of a US-led effort to overcome years of resistance from China, acting on behalf of Pakistan. The United States offered a resounding endorsement of the designation of four Pakistan-based terrorists by India.

According to the Intelligence Bureau (IB) inputs, Pakistan has “secretly” released Jaish chief Masood Azhar to plan terror attack on India while other terror organisations were also working openly in the neighbouring nation. There were uncorroborated reports after the February 14 car bomb attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama that Pakistani agencies had taken Azhar into protective custody.

Pakistan, according to the input, is planning “big action” in Sialkot-Jammu and Rajasthan sectors in the coming days in response to the government’s move to revoke Article 370 that gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The input warned that Pakistan has started deploying additional troops near the Rajasthan border as part of the plan.

India has for long linked any sort of engagement or talks with Pakistan to Islamabad ending its support for terror groups based on its soil.