External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries must be dismantled in Afghanistan for enduring peace and there should be zero tolerance for terrorism in all forms, including cross-border attacks.

Attending the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Jaishankar said, "For enduring peace in Afghanistan, terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries must be dismantled immediately and terrorist supply chains disrupted. There needs to be zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including its cross-border ones."

“It is equally important to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used by terrorist groups to threaten or attack any other country. Those providing material and financial support to terrorist entities must be held accountable. We, as international community, must ensure that our commitments to Afghanistan, including to its various institutions, are maintained,” he added.

The foreign minister also raised the issue of Pakistan controlling Afghanistan’s access to the high seas. “For Afghanistan’s economic development, it is important to have unhindered access to the high seas. The international community should work towards the removal of artificial transit barriers imposed on Afghanistan and ensure full transit rights guaranteed to Afghanistan under bilateral and multilateral transit agreements without any hindrance,” he said.