India, US ask Pakistan to abandon cross-border terror, spur 26/11 justice

Twelve years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, justice for victims of the carnage remains elusive with India and the US joining hands to push Pakistan to take “immediate, sustained, and irreversible action” to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorist attacks. The US came out in full support of India against cross-border terror that continues to be unleashed from Pakistan as the two sides held a wide-ranging counter-terror dialogue.

Mahaveer Singhvi, joint secretary for counter-terrorism in the External Affairs Ministry (MA), and Nathan A. Sales, the US State Department coordinator for counter-terrorism, discussed steps to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation between the world’s leading democracies.

“The two sides underlined the urgent need for Pakistan to take immediate, sustained, and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorist attacks, and to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of such attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot,” said a statement after the 17th meeting of the US-India Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism and the third session of the Designations Dialogue held virtually on September 9-10.

The two countries underlined the imperative for concerted action against all terrorist networks, including al-Qaida, Islamic State, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

The two sides denounced the use of terrorist proxies and strongly condemned cross-border terrorism in all its forms. They also exchanged views on threats posed by United Nations (UN)-sanctioned terrorist entities, the statement said. The 2008 Mumbai attacks were planned and executed by ten Pakistani militants, which left 166 people dead, including six US nationals.

The US reiterated its support for the people and government of India in the fight against terrorism. India and the US also shared information about their priorities and procedures for pursuing sanctions and designations against terror groups and individuals, particularly in light of recent legislative changes in India, the statement said.

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