India, US express concern on Pakistan's role in Afghanistan: MEA

Washington [US], September 25 : A day after US Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged the presence of terror groups in Pakistan, India and the United States have expressed concern over Islamabad's role in Afghanistan.
Speaking on the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that the two sides underscored the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan.
"I think there was clear concern in that regard on Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and their continuing for a certain approach that did not seem to be conducive to the international community expectations of what Afghanistan should be like," he said.
Biden hosted PM Modi at the Oval Office in the White House for the first in-person bilateral meeting on Friday.
According to Shringla, PM Modi and President Biden called on the Taliban to ensure that the Afghan territory is not used to threaten and attack any country to shelter or train terrorist groups.
"On Afghanistan, there is a lot of importance attached to the fact that the UN resolution 2593 was adopted under India's presidency was an important resolution which reflected the international community's general view on the situation in Afghanistan and obligations of the ruling dispensation there to fulfil certain conditionality's that the international community felt important," he said.
"The two sides underscored the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan. They called on the Taliban to adhere to all of its commitments under UN resolution 2593 that includes ensuring Afghan territory is not used to threaten and attack any country to shelter or train terrorist groups," he added.
The foreign secretary further said that the government in Afghanistan did not appear to be an "inclusive one".
"The current dispensation in Afghanistan did not appear to be an inclusive one and did not involve the ethnic minorities of Afghanistan to the extent that it did not include the participation of women in the government. I think the point was noted. I think there was very careful consideration by both sides on the support given to certain hardline elements in the country including terrorist groups by the certain neighbour of Afghanistan," he said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Shringla informed that US Vice President Kamala Harris has 'suo moto', referred to Pakistan's role in terrorism and asked the country to stop supporting terror groups during the first-ever meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi.
Harris acknowledged the presence of terror groups in Pakistan, said Shringla when asked whether the issue of Pakistan emboldening Taliban came up during the discussion between PM Modi and the US Vice President.