
‘Reject double standards in countering terrorism': BRICS leaders condemn Pahalgam attack
In a joint declaration, the multilateral grouping expressed 'strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed'.
The group reiterated that 'terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group and that all those involved in terrorist activities and their support must be held accountable and brought to justice' under national and international laws.
BRICS comprises India, Brazil, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The leaders of the BRICS nations met in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
The declaration did not name Pakistan, whom New Delhi has accused of supporting cross-border terrorism. In the past, China has blocked attempts by India to sanction terror groups based in Pakistan at the United Nations.
The BRICS grouping has condemned terrorism in its past declarations too.
The BRICS nations on Sunday urged 'to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism and reject double standards in countering terrorism'.
The declaration also emphasised the 'primary responsibility of states in combating terrorism and that global efforts to prevent and counter terrorist threats must fully comply with their obligations under international law…'
During the BRICS summit on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Pahalgam terror attack was a ' direct assault on the soul, identity and dignity' of India.
'This attack was not just a blow to India but to the entire humanity,' Modi said.
The prime minister said that condemning terrorism must be a matter of principle and not just of convenience.
Modi said that there must be no hesitation in imposing sanctions on terrorists.
'The victims and supporters of terrorism cannot be treated equally,' he said. 'For the sake of personal or political gain, giving silent consent to terrorism or supporting terrorists or terrorism, should never be acceptable under any circumstances…'
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.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Mint
18 minutes ago
- Mint
Rubio Heads to Malaysia for Summit Under Shadow of Tariffs
(Bloomberg) -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to make his first trip to Asia as the top US diplomat this week, heading to a regional summit in Malaysia a day after President Donald Trump threatened a new 25% tariff on the country and several others. Rubio flies to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday for a gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. While he'd prefer to keep the focus on security issues and competition with China, the trip will take place under the shadow of Trump's latest tariff gambit. On Monday, the president unveiled the first of several promised letters that threaten higher tariffs rates on key trading partners, including levies of 25% on goods from Japan and South Korea — as well as Malaysia and Kazakhstan — beginning Aug. 1. Fellow Asean members Laos and Myanmar will see tariffs of 40% if Trump delivers on his threat. Trump had set July 9 for the expiration of a 90-day pause on higher trade levies. He initially rolled out reciprocal tariffs in early April, but the White House reversed course, froze those rates at 10% for three months, and opened negotiations amid tumbling markets and fears of a US recession. A senior State Department official told reporters Monday that the July 9 deadline will pass while Rubio is traveling to Malaysia, and said the department doesn't lead negotiations for bilateral deals. Still, the secretary will echo the White House's message on tariffs, the official said, defending the need to rebalance US trade relationships. Former trade negotiator Barbara Weisel said partners would focus on the meetings' formal agenda and separate their broader relationship from trade tensions. 'But privately, countries that are hit with tariffs over 10% almost certainly will raise their frustration and anger at the US,' said Weisel, now a scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Rubio 'is focused on reaffirming the United States' commitment to advancing a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region,' the State Department said in a statement before the latest tariffs were announced. Rubio will also likely face questions about Trump's threat Sunday to impose an additional 10% tariff on any country that aligns itself with what he called the 'anti-American policies' of the BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Indonesia became a full BRICS member in January, while Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand joined as partner nations. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected at the Asean summit, as is Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is confirmed. President Vladimir Putin's government, entrenched in the war in Ukraine, is deepening ties in Southeast Asia through energy and defense deals. For weeks, the administration has indicated its tariffs would revert to their higher April 2 levels for countries that failed to strike accords aimed at reducing US trade imbalances. Other nations will seek to follow the example of Asean member Vietnam, which last week reached a deal for a 20% tariff on its exports — compared with a 46% duty originally threatened — though goods deemed to be transshipped face a 40% rate — a provision largely aimed at China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has suggested that some countries lacking an agreement by the July 9 deadline would be able to negotiate until the tariffs are scheduled to kick in on Aug. 1. While the job of negotiating trade deals falls mainly to Bessent and others, Rubio is one of the first Trump cabinet members to travel to Asia. (Updates with additional details of visit, Trump's Brics threat.) More stories like this are available on


India Today
19 minutes ago
- India Today
Abu Salem to stay in jail till 2030, Bombay High Court rules out early release
The Bombay High Court on Monday observed that gangster Abu Salem's sentence in prison will get over only in 2030 and not on March 31, 2025 as he was bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Rajesh S Patil admitted his plea, which will be heard later and noted that the Supreme Court in its order had said that he could be sentenced only to 25 years, which would get over in the year 2030. The bench said, "We reckon that your date of arrest is October 2005. According to it, 25 years are yet to be completed."advertisementSalem, extradited from Portugal in 2005, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the 1993 serial blasts by a special court under TADA and for the murder of builder Pradeep Jain. Salem had filed an appeal against that order and pointed out that when he was extradited, the Indian government had assured Portugal that he would not be sentenced for more than 25 years. It was in this context that the Supreme Court observed that he could be sentenced to 2030 lawyers, Rishi Malhotra and Farhana Shah, contended that Salem had earned three years and 16 days of remission for good conduct, along with a one-month credit granted by the Supreme Court for time spent in custody in Portugal. They claimed that these factors pushed his total sentence duration beyond 25 years, making him eligible for the Central Bureau of Investigation strongly opposed this argument. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the CBI, submitted that Salem was mixing up the calculations to meet the 25-year threshold. Singh also said that Salem should approach the Supreme Court for clarification if he believes its earlier order was not being followed Malhotra insisted that the 2030 timeline failed to account for the remission period, the bench responded sharply, saying, 'Are you saying that the Supreme Court order is wrong? Even applying simple logic, 25 years is yet to be completed.'The court admitted Salem's plea and agreed to an expedited hearing, but no date has been set.- EndsMust Watch


Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Asim Munir reacts as India exposes Chinese support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor: ‘Factually incorrect'
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir on Monday claimed that India's assertions about Islamabad receiving external support during the four-day conflict were 'factually incorrect.' Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir dismissed India's assertions of external support during Operation Sindoor.(AP File) In an address to graduating officers at the National Defence University in Islamabad, Munir said that any misadventure or attempt to undermine Pakistan's sovereignty would be met with a swift and resolute response, without any constraints. 'Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence,' news agency PTI quoted Asim Munir as saying. His remarks came just days after Indian Army Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul R Singh said that Beijing had extended active military support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, using the conflict as a 'live lab' to test various weapon systems. Speaking at a seminar in Delhi last week, Gen. Singh said Pakistan was the 'front face,' with China offering full support to its all-weather ally. He added that Turkey also played a significant role by supplying military hardware to Islamabad, saying that India was effectively dealing with 'at least three adversaries' during the May 7–10 conflict. Asim Munir also claimed that India's strategic behaviour is rooted in 'parochial self-alignment,' while Pakistan has focused on forging lasting partnerships through principled diplomacy, anchored in mutual respect and peace. He said that this approach has established Pakistan as a stabilising force in the region. 'Deeply hurting, more than reciprocal response': Munir warns 'Any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response,' Munir said. He added that wars are not won through 'media rhetoric, imported fancy hardware, or political sloganeering,' but rather through 'faith, professional competence, operational clarity, institutional strength and national resolve.' India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in areas controlled by Pakistan in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes led to four days of intense clashes, which ended with an understanding to halt military actions on May 10. New Delhi has maintained that India's decisive counterattack that day forced Pakistan to seek an end to the hostilities. With PTI inputs