Pakistan has called on Afghan authorities to take meaningful and effective action against terrorist groups like the TTP. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Foreign Office Spokesperson, shared Pakistan’s concerns over the terrorism threat originating from Afghanistan during her weekly news briefing in Islamabad.
Baloch highlighted evidence linking the attack on Chinese engineers in Besham to terrorists based in Afghanistan, underlining that the planning occurred there.
Concerning the report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Pakistan criticized it as flawed and disconnected from the realities on the ground. Baloch expressed disappointment over the report’s reliance on unverified accusations and criticized the annual country designations by USCIRF as unnecessary and biased. She stressed the importance of addressing Islamophobia and promoting understanding through dialogue rather than through arbitrary designations.
Regarding dialogue with India, Baloch clarified that no such discussions are currently taking place. She welcomed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) reaffirmation of support for the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir during its recent summit in the Gambia. Baloch reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to providing moral, political, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their pursuit of self-determination as outlined by UNSC resolutions.
