Bilawal Bhutto condemns India for terrorism in Pakistan
NEW YORK – Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has sought the international community’s help in going after those who back, support, finance and facilitates terrorism in Pakistan.
In a news briefing after hosting the Ministerial Conference of G-77 Plus China in New York, he apprised the media of a dossier issued by Pakistan containing the pieces of evidence of Indian involvement in a terror attack in Johar Town area of Lahore in 2021.
The Indian government does not believe in Gandhi’s ideology, but rather in the doctrines of his assassin, Bilawal told journalists at a press conference in New York on Thursday. The Indian government is influenced by Hitler, Bilawal said.
Condemning India’s role in stoking terrorism in Pakistan, the foreign minister said that terrorist elements in Pakistan are getting support from the neighbouring country. Foreign elements are actively trying to create instability in Balochistan, he said.
The foreign minister said Islamabad has also urged the United Nations to list four individuals associated with the attack in Pakistan which was aimed at targeting its economic engagement with China under One Belt and One Road Initiative.
He said a former Indian National Security Advisor is also on record to have confessed the Indian backing of terrorism in Pakistan.
Calling upon the Indian government to end such tactics, the foreign minister said the terrorists would not be content to attack only Pakistan rather one day they would hit India too.
The foreign minister said that Pakistan is proud of its achievements in the war against terrorism, as the country has taken concrete steps in connection with the National Action Plan for counterterrorism.
He said that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) endorsed Pakistan’s measures taken to stem terror financing. Bilawal also said that it is wrong to blame the Muslim world for terrorism as terrorism doesn’t belong to any religion or region.
He pointed out that terrorism has mainly targeted Muslims since 2001. Also, there were incidents where Chinese citizens were targeted in Karachi, he said.
Highlighting the post-flood situation in Pakistan, the foreign minister said some areas of Balochistan and Sindh are still waterlogged. The massive flooding adversely impacted sectors of health, education and basic infrastructure.
Assistance from the international community is crucial for Pakistan in coping with the challenge of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the victims, he asserted.
He called upon the international community to engage the Afghan interim government. Bilawal said primary education is permitted in Afghanistan but permission for secondary education is still awaited.
