Afghan envoy hints at Pak, calls for joint strategy to fight terrorist groups

Without taking Pakistan's name, Afghan Ambassador to India Shaida Mohd Abdali on Monday said all terrorist groups are coming from the same source but with different names, and called upon India, Afghanistan and the world community to come up with a joint strategy to fight terrorism out.

"These terrorist groups, in my opinion, are all coming from the same sources but with different names, and thus, India-Afghanistan and the world community should come up with a joint strategy to fight terrorism out," said Ambassador Abdali, while condemning the terrorist attack on an army camp close to the headquarters of the 12th Brigade at Uri in Baramulla district that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers and left over 20 others injured.

"It is a matter of great sadness, we condemn this strongly. Afghanistan has been facing similar attacks on our security forces and our innocent people and hope the world community, countries of this region will join hands with India and Afghanistan to fight terrorism more appropriately," he told ANI.

Pledging his nation's support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a strong and firm action against the perpetrators, Ambassador Abdali said: "We fully support PM Modi's call for strong and firm action against those who terrorise people, and those who use terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy; seeing this for many years. Whoever uses terrorism shouldn't only be isolated but also held accountable."

"Afghan is absolutely ready to cooperate with India; we are true examples of nations fighting terrorism in true meaning. We hope countries in the region and the world community join us to fight terrorism that affects people all over world. We should not be speaking about this terrorist or that, but we must fight every terrorist," he added.

After giving an assurance of going after the perpetrators of the deadly Uri attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gave the green signal to diplomatically isolate Pakistan at every international grouping.

India is to present all actionable evidence against Pakistan if required at international bodies.

The Indian Permanent Mission is to issue a statement taking on Islamabad soon after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will make his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Evidence of Pakistan's hand in Uri attack i.e. GPS tracker movements that go back to starting point in Pakistan, Pashto literature, Pakistan Army marked arms will be given to Islamabad at the DGMO level, sources add.

India is set to raise Uri attack at the 71st UNGA and highlight Pakistan's involvement into the deadly terror strike.

Sources state that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will strongly emphasize on Pakistan's involvement in the attack in her UNGA speech on September 26.

This development comes after the Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting at his official residence at 7 Race Course Road here.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Army Chief Dalbir Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other officials were present in the meeting.

Pakistan has, however, flatly refused New Delhi's claims of Islamabad's involvement in the Uri terror attack, stating that it has become India's traditional tendency to point fingers on them after each terrorist attack.

"Pointing fingers at Pakistan has become a traditional tendency of India after each terrorist attack," the Dawn quoted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria as saying.

"In the past many Indians were involved in the terrorist acts for which India had blamed Pakistan," he asserted.

Director General of Military operation Lt. Ranbir Singh yesterday said that the four terrorists, who attacked the military base in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, belonged to Pakistan's banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).