SCO condemns terror attacks in Pahalgam, Balochistan

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Monday strongly condemned terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations”, including the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 persons, The Indian Express reported.

The inter-government body also said that its member states strongly condemned terrorist attacks on the Jaffer Express on March 11 and in Khuzdar on May 21 in Pakistan. Following the attack on the Jaffer Express, Pakistan had accused India of sponsoring terrorism, even as New Delhi told Islamabad to “look inwards” instead of shifting the blame for its internal problems and failures on to others.

This came nearly two months after India refused to sign a joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers’ meeting held in China. The Ministry of External Affairs had said that the document did not reflect New Delhi’s position against terror.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, established in 2001, comprises India, China, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

On Monday, the member states unanimously signed and adopted the Tianjin Declaration, which “expressed deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded” in the Pahalgam terror attack.

“They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice,” read the declaration.

It also called for an end to the “cross-border movement of terrorists” and reaffirmed the regional inter-governmental body’s commitment to combating terrorism, separatism and extremism.

The terror attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 16 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu.

In response to the terror attack, India launched military strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what New Delhi claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Pakistan Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed.

On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an “understanding” to halt firing following a four-day conflict.

Before the declaration was adopted on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and emphasised the need for unity in his speech at the summit.

“We must state it clearly and in one voice: double standards on terrorism are unacceptable,” said Modi. “Together, we must oppose terrorism in every form and manifestation. This is our responsibility towards humanity.”

Without naming Pakistan, the prime minister asked: “Can the open support for terrorism by certain countries ever be acceptable to us?”

Modi has repeatedly accused Pakistan military officials of standing “in solidarity with terrorists”.

During his Independence Day address, Modi said that New Delhi had set a “new normal” of not differentiating between terrorists and those who nurture terrorism.

Connectivity projects must respect sovereignty: Modi

Speaking at the summit, Modi said that connectivity projects must “uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“Connectivity that bypasses sovereignty loses trust and meaning,” he added.

The prime minister highlighted that infrastructure initiatives such as the Chabahar Port in Iran and the International North-South Transport Corridor aim to strengthen India's linkages with Afghanistan and central Asia.

“India has always believed that strong connectivity does not merely facilitate trade but also opens the doors to trust and development,” he said.

While he did not name any country, Modi’s statements were seen as a reference to China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative, parts of which – such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor – pass through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.