Islamabad: The latest report from the UN Security Council substantiates Pakistan’s long-held assertion that Afghanistan harbors sanctuaries for terrorist factions, including the proscribed group “Fitna al-Khawarij” and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as per the Foreign Office.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, at a press briefing held today in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch highlighted the UN report’s findings, which suggest the potential transformation of the TTP into a significant regional threat and an umbrella organization for other terrorist entities. The report notably mentions that TTP operatives and recruits receive training on Afghan soil.
Spokesperson Baloch called on Afghanistan to undertake immediate, effective, and robust measures to dismantle these terror networks and prevent their territory from being used for terrorist activities targeting Pakistan.
Further, Baloch addressed the recent killing of Ismail Haniyeh, Chief of the Political Bureau of Hamas, in Tehran, denouncing it as a clear violation of international law and norms, which she said sows seeds for further escalation. She condemned what she described as ongoing “indiscriminate and disproportionate Israeli aggression” that jeopardizes regional and global peace.
The spokesperson emphasized the need for holding Israel accountable for its actions, which she claimed threaten regional security through extraterritorial military operations. She also called on international supporters of Israel to influence it towards halting its unlawful activities.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s stance on Palestine, Baloch reiterated the country’s support for the Palestinian right to self-determination, their return to their homeland, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Concerning the situation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Baloch urged India to rescind its actions since August 5, 2019, and to foster conditions conducive to the peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.