NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — Backing India's stand on cross-border terrorism, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe minced no words while asking Islamabad to bring to book the perpetrators of terror strikes, including those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2016 Pathankot terror attack in a joint statement issued after the 10th India-Japan Annual Summit.
"They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'," the joint statement read.
Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks, financing channels and halting the cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
"They looked forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India consultation on terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates," the statement added.
Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities, the statement said.
The development is significant as it comes after last week's Xiamen BRICS declaration denouncing terror groups. While the Xiamen Declaration did not name Pakistan directly, the fact that the terror groups like the JeM and LeT were mentioned was seen as a major diplomatic victory for India.
More so, because China, a close ally of Pakistan, has been blocking the UN's attempts to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a terrorist, something which has irked New Delhi and soured ties between the two countries.
Pakistan has been facing close scrutiny from the Donald Trump administration as well with the US President recently threatening Islamabad of suspending aid unless it acts against terrorists.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.