UNITED NATIONS, Dec 18: Pakistan on Friday asked the international community to adopt a direct approach towards addressing the root cause of terrorism, including ways to address the larger, systemic and structural issues.

Speaking at the UN Security Council after a briefing by the chairman of Al-Qaeda and Taliban sanctions committee of the council, Pakistan Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram suggested that the strategy must include "promotion of social and political rights, the rule of law and democratic reforms, ending occupation and addressing major political grievances, reducing poverty and unemployment".

He noted that the high-level panel appointed by the UN secretary-general for reforms had rightly asserted in defining terrorism that no cause justified targeting of innocent civilians.

However, Mr Akram said: "We believe that it needs to be added that such terrorism can be committed both by non-state as well as by state actors and terrorist actions by sections of legitimate national liberation struggles for self-determination do not in themselves de-legitimize such legitimate national liberation struggles."

He said: "It is obvious that Al Qaeda continues to pose a threat to the international peace and security.", and noted that the Al Qaeda and Taliban sanctions committee had made considerable progress in harmonizing and coordinating implementation of sanctions by states in three key areas; freezing of financial assets, imposition of travel ban and arms embargo.

Mr Akram said the threat of terrorism continued to confront the international community, underscoring that Pakistan was no exception.

He pointed out that Pakistan had strengthened its domestic legal framework and was working on improving its financial mechanism.