Narendra Modi labels Pakistan 'mothership of terrorism'

October 16, 2016 at 20:11

Indian PM makes reference to neighbour as ‘nurturing a mindset that terrorism is justified’ in speech to world leaders in Goa

Narendra Modi has sought to further ratchet up international pressure on Pakistan by urging leaders from major developing nations to stand together against the “mothership of terrorism”.In a barely concealed reference to Pakistan, the Indian prime minister accused his country’s neighbour of promoting terrorism. “Tragically the mothership of terrorism is a country in India’s neighbourhood,” Modi told a gathering in India of the heads of governments of the Brics countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China andSouth Africa.

“Terror modules around the world are linked to this mothership,” he said. “This country shelters not just terrorists. It nurtures a mindset. A mindset that loudly proclaims that terrorism is justified for political gains. It is a mindset we strongly condemn. And against which we as Brics need to stand and act together. Bricsmust speak in one voice against this threat.”

Sunday’s meeting in the Indian state of Goa was attended by the president ofRussia, Vladimir Putin, and the president of China, Xi Jinping.

Modi’s Hindu nationalist government has hardened its stance against Pakistan since a September attack on a military base in Uri that killed 19 soldiers. India firmly blames the attack on Pakistan-based jihadis – a charge Islamabad denies. The attack prompted India to launch what it said were a series of cross-border “surgical strikes” on “terror launch pads”.

5008 — Demonstrators burn Pakistan’s national flag during a protest against the Uri army base attack in Kashmir last month. Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters

India has also moved to isolate Pakistan at a time when Islamabad is struggling to focus international attention on months of civil unrest in the India-controlled half of Kashmir, a Himalayan region that the two countries have contested since independence in 1947.

Last month India successfully encouraged Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan to boycott the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit that was due to be hosted in Islamabad in November.

All the Brics countries condemned recent terror attacks in a “Goa declaration” released to mark the end of the summit, but did not mention Pakistan by name. “We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any acts of terrorism, whether based upon ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic or any other reasons,” the statement said.

China is one of Pakistan’s closest allies and has committed to investing $46bn (£38bn) in infrastructure projects in the country. Although analysts say Beijing is uncomfortable with Pakistan’s alleged sponsorship of jihadi groups, China has not joined in the international chorus of condemnation.

This month China once again blocked Indian-led moves to include Masood Azhar, the head of a Pakistan based militant organisation, on the UN’s official terrorism sanctions list. Azhar’s Jaish-e-Mohammad group was blamed by India for a deadly attack on India’s Pathankot airbase in January which killed seven military personnel. Although Pakistan did launch a limited crackdown on the group it said it had not been able to find evidence linking Azhar to the Pathankot attack.