Islamabad, June 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The legislative, institutional, and operational actions were taken by Pakistan in countering terrorism including in the area of CFT are robust and effective. Pakistan continues to support all international efforts aimed at Counter Financing of Terrorism: Said Ambassador Aamir Khan, Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan Mission at the United Nations, during an intervention at the High-Level event Countering Financing of Terrorism in post-Covid landscape” on a Counter Terrorism Week “, says a press release received here today from New York.
“Terrorism is rightly described as the scourge of our times”, he said, adding that: “Pakistan paid a heavy price, suffering over 50,000 casualties – soldiers and civilians – and over $120 billion in damage to our economy. No other country has made a bigger sacrifice in fighting terrorism”. While expressing Pakistan’s concern on rising trends that facilitate terrorism financing, he said “…the overall environment has become more-risky, exacerbated further by cross-border attacks launched by adversary states through their proxies to foment terrorism”.
Realizing that the impact of COVID 19 is going to stay for long, he further stressed that “for their counter-terrorist financing strategies to succeed, these [developing] countries will need resources, technology, and modern methodologies’ in order to address the pre-covid-19 deficiencies of the broader counter-terrorism architecture as a whole.
Ambassador Aamir Khan further mentioned that “the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism has consistently drawn attention to human rights deficiencies in the global counter-terrorism architecture”. Apprising further the assertive role taken by the Security Council “in regulating responses to terrorism through the adoption of Chapter VII resolutions which is having far-reaching “legal” and “quasi-legal” implications for the member states”. Importantly, he expressed concern over “the use of digital space and new technologies to incite hatred, xenophobia, and Islam phobia designed to target especially Muslim communities including by carrying out attacks on them under the broad-daylight”.
To address these issues, he insisted on a comprehensive approach’ that is not limited to just Counter Financing of Terrorism approach, but all other relevant measures needed to address terrorism. He also recommended provision of capacity-building opportunities and reviewing Countering Financing Terrorism measures that are not in compliance with international laws, in particular human rights and international humanitarian laws. He stressed further on addressing the root causes, especially “foreign occupation; state terrorism against people possessing rights of self-determination; manifestation of Islam phobia perpetrated by violent supremacist movements, and misuse of CFT for fulfilling political agendas.” The Counter Terrorism Week is commemorated from 24 June to 30 June 2021.
For more information, contact:
Principal Information Officer,
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323, +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325, +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com
Website: www.pid.gov.pk