Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday decried world’s least focus on terrorism, highlighting that its attention had been shifted from Afghanistan to Ukraine.
Speaking on the floor of house, Bilawal expressed the need for genuine attention and concerted efforts to combat the issue.
His remarks came in backdrop of the US-India statement which said: “The two leaders strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks.”
It also called on Pakistan to punish perpetrators of attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Bilawal emphasized that major powers should not allow terrorism to become a victim of geopolitics and urged international partners to prioritize the fight against terrorism as a collective endeavor. He stressed that Pakistan was committed to tackling terrorism based on the aspirations of its people and national security needs, rather than in response to external pressure.
The foreign minister acknowledged that Pakistan had previously confronted and defeated terrorism but pointed out that recent policies under the previous prime minister had allowed it to resurface as a significant challenge.
Bilawal warned that if terrorism was not effectively addressed, it could become a problem for other countries as well.
He assured lawmakers that Pakistan would develop a detailed response to the joint statement issued by the US and India.
Bilawal urged to focus on its own internal stability and economic issues before achieving its international objectives.
He reassured the country that there was no reason to feel insecure about its relationship with the world or its bilateral partnership with the United States, despite closer cooperation between the US and India.
Bilawal reminded the international community that Pakistan had suffered the most from terrorism, even when considering the casualties in other countries such as India, the US, and Iran.
He underscored Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorism for its own reasons and to establish peace within the country.
Additionally, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif highlighted that Pakistan had paid a heavy price for its role as a frontline state in the war on terrorism, stating that terrorism entered the country due to its alliance with the United States. Asif also criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s treatment of minorities, particularly Muslims, and the ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
