‘Like cat guarding milk’: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh slams UNSC for naming Pakistan in anti-terror panel

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday objected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decision of appointing Pakistan as the vice-chair of its counter-terrorism panel. Singh said this decision is similar to “making the cat guard the milk” as Pakistan has a known history of protecting and supporting terrorists.

Expressing shock at the UNSC decision, he said, “What is astonishing is that this Counter-Terrorism panel, was formed after the 9/11 terror attacks. Pakistan had sheltered the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. Its land has been used as a refuge for global terrorist organisations.”

“There, terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar roam around openly, and senior officers of the Pakistan Army attend the funerals of terrorists. Now, the same country is expected to lead the global community against terrorism… The United Nations Security Council’s action is like asking the cat to guard the milk,” he added while speaking at an event in Dehradun.

Pakistan will chair the Taliban Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2025 and serve as vice-chair of the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee of the 15-nation UN body.

“Pakistan has always given shelter to terrorists, trained them on its soil and helped them. Pahalgam (attack) was just an example, but I want to tell you that list of Pakistan-aided terrorists is very long. And, Pakistan always tries to justify terrorism. So, it is important that we eliminate not just these terrorists but the entire terror infrastructure that aids them,” he said.

He said Pakistan supports terrorism, and a large portion of its foreign aid is used to fund this support. “Funding Pakistan means funding the infrastructure of terrorism. Pakistan is a nursery of terrorism. It should not be nourished,” Singh said, while urging other nations to stop giving money to Pakistan.

Singh urged the international community and organisations like the UN to take the issue of terrorism seriously. He said, “Only when we are free from terrorism, will we be able to move towards the goal of global peace, progress and prosperity.”