Heart of Asia Meet: Terror Identified as Biggest Threat, Pak Groups Named

New Delhi/Amritsar: Pakistan was isolated at the Heart of Asia summit on Sunday as a joint declaration identified terrorism as the biggest threat to the region and named terror groups, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, that operate from across the border.Also Read | Heart of Asia Meet: PM Modi Calls for Action Against Terror Financiers

The Amritsar Declaration, issued after the 6th ministerial 'Heart of Asia conference - Istanbul Process on Afghanistan' in Amritsar city of Punjab, recognised “terrorism as the biggest threat to peace" and demanded "immediate end to all forms of terrorism".Also Read: Don't Need Your $500 Mn, Use it to Fight Terror Instead: Afghan to Pak

Citing the declaration, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who chaired the meeting in the absence of ailing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, said: "We remain concerned by high level of violence in Afghanistan caused by Taliban, terrorist groups including Al Qaeda, Daesh (Islamic State) and its affiliates."

"We strongly call for concerted regional and international cooperation to ensure elimination of terrorism, including dismantling of terrorist safe havens in the Heart of Asia region, as well as disrupting all financial and logistical support for terrorism," he said.

After the two-day deliberations, attended by 40 countries including major regional and global powers and blocs, the HoA, a platform to help Afghanistan in its transition, issued the Amritsar Declaration which called for dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens in the region, as well as disrupting all financial, tactical and logistical support for terror networks.

Held in the backdrop of number of cross-border terror attacks on India and elsewhere, the HoA expressed serious concern over gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan and in many parts of the region, holding that united efforts are required to contain terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Taliban, the Haqqani Network, Al Qaida, IS and its affiliates, TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah and other foreign terrorist groups.

Apart from calling for concerted cooperation to combat the terror groups, the declaration sought early finalization of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

Jaitley said three major issues deliberated upon at the conference were countering terrorism to create stability and security in Afghanistan, providing it with connectivity and ensure the war-ravaged countrys development."

(With agency inputs)