Rawat calls for decisive action against terrorism
CDS says states ‘sponsoring proxies’ can’t be partners in war on terror
NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat said on Thursday that “decisive action” will have to be taken against Pakistan if the country fails to implement the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) action plan and other measures aimed at ending terrorism originating from its soil.
Rawat also advocated an approach similar to the one adopted by the US after the 9/11 attacks – of launching a global war on terror – aimed at isolating terrorists and anyone sponsoring them, including Pakistan. International messaging, hard actions such as listing by the FATF and diplomatic isolation should be used as tools against all countries using terror, he said.
“I said there needs to be decisive action, with Pakistan looking at blacklisting by the FATF. If finally, that doesn’t yield results, you’ve got to go in for decisive action,” he said at the Raisina Dialogue, a think tank event backed by the external affairs ministry.
FATF, the global finance watchdog which tackles money laundering, kept Pakistan off its terrorism financing blacklist in October. But it warned Islamabad only had until February to improve or face international action. FATF said it was concerned that Pakistan had failed to complete the action plan first by a January deadline, then the ones in May and October.
Gen Rawat said, “We have to bring an end to terrorism and that can only happen the way the Americans started after 9/11. They said, let’s go on a global war on terror and let the nations join together and fight terrorism together.”
Without naming Pakistan, he said states “sponsoring proxies and terrorism” could not be partners in the global war on terror. “We have to get the bull by the horns and take them to task,” he said.
Rawat questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the Afghan peace process, saying Islamabad will continue to support and fund the Taliban. Afghanistan needs a negotiated peace involving all players, and the Taliban or any other group “contemplating terror has to give up that weapon of terror, come to the political mainstream and rule through the will of the people”, he said.
Turning to Kashmir, he said de-radicalisation programmes should focus on the origins of the phenomenon and the degree of radicalisation.
“Today, we are seeing radicalisation even among young people, girls and boys as young as 10 and 12 are now being radicalised. These people can still be isolated from radicalisation in a gradual way,” he said.
“But there are people who have completely been radicalised, these people need to be taken out separately, possibly taken into some de-radicalisation camps.”
Rawat dismissed the contention that the Indian Army’s approach in Kashmir is “heavy handed” and said pellet guns are “sparingly” and “rarely” used in the Kashmir Valley.
He described the CDS as the first among equals, with clear responsibilities and “some authority over the three service chiefs other than on operational issues”.
He added, “We will be able to function within the firm framework which has been laid out for the CDS. I do not visualise any problems.”
I be said decisive there needs action, to with Pakistan looking at blacklisting by the FATF. If finally, that doesn’t yield results, you’ve got to go in for decisive action
There are people who have completely been radicalised, these people need to be taken out separately, possibly taken into some de-radicalisation camps
GEN BIPIN RAWAT , Chief of Defence Staff