Latest news with #anti-Pakistan
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Pakistan offers Kabul to jointly fight terror
Listen to article Pakistan offered the Afghan interim government to jointly fight terrorist groups, which are causing unrest and instability, as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held crucial talks with Taliban authorities in a daylong visit to Kabul on Sunday. Naqvi is the latest high-ranking Pakistani minister to travel to the neighbouring country as part of a renewed push to reset ties and address the issue of cross border terrorism. The interior minister's visit came on the heels of Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar's trip to Kabul a few days ago. Naqvi, who was accompanied by special representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq Khan and Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, met with Afghan Interim Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqni. The talks, according to officials, focused on the issue of terrorism, border management and repatriation of Afghan refugees. But the issue of presence of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other anti-Pakistan groups in Afghanistan was on top of the agenda. Sources said that Naqvi delivered a clear message that Pakistan considers Afghanistan as its "brotherly neighbouring" country but highlighted the activities of terrorist groups as major obstacle in the bilateral ties. "Terrorist organisations are causing unrest and instability, we must jointly stop them," Naqvi was quoted as saying by his office after his meeting with the head of Haqqani Network. An interior ministry handout said the two sides discussed bilateral relations, particularly focusing on counterterrorism, cross-border infiltration, and the banned TTP. The talks were also held on effective management of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, prevention of drug trafficking, and regulating cross-border movement. The repatriation process of Afghan nationals, illegally residing in Pakistan, also came under discussion. Both interior ministers emphasised the need for peaceful coexistence, stability, and enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. They agreed to strengthen mutual collaboration to improve border management and eliminate the menace of terrorism. "Pakistan desires fraternal and long-lasting relations with Afghanistan. For decades, Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees selflessly, and the doors remain open for Afghan citizens to enter Pakistan legally," Naqvi said. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained stalled for many months before the two sides made a fresh attempt to sort out their differences. Dar's visit to Kabul in April led to greater engagement between the two neighbours. The Afghan government, according to sources, took certain steps to control the TTP. Some measures including a crackdown on Afghans, who were joining the TTP. Those steps helped build some trust between the two countries. Officials, however, cautioned that the Afghan side will have to demonstrate a lot more commitment to completely eradicate the threat emanating from the neighbouring country. Meanwhile, high-level exchanges between the two countries will continue as Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to travel to Islamabad soon.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
FO reaffirms zero tolerance for terrorism
Listen to article Pakistan on Friday strongly reiterated its unwavering commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, calling for objective and collective global action against the menace, while rejecting politically motivated narratives aimed at maligning the country. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan reiterated its "zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism in all forms and manifestations," stressing that it has been a "frontline state in the global fight against terrorism". The statement highlighted Pakistan's contributions to the international counterterrorism efforts, including the recent arrest of Sharifullah, the alleged mastermind of the Abbey Gate bombing. "Pakistan has effectively dismantled terrorist outfits, arrested and prosecuted their leadership, and deradicalized their cadres," the statement said, adding that any linkage of the LeT with the Pahalgam incident "belies ground realities". The ministry noted that investigations into the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians, remain inconclusive. "The incident occurred in a disputed region under India's occupation, and attempts to link Pakistan to it are politically motivated," the statement added. The Foreign Office accused India of "exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda and divert international attention from its irresponsible and rogue behavior, including ongoing human rights atrocities in IIOJ&K." Pakistan also urged the international community to adopt "objective and non-discriminatory policies" in fighting terrorism. "Terrorist organizations like the Majeed Brigade must also be listed as aliases of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA," it stressed.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Investigations into Pahalgam incident still inconclusive: FO
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday said Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled the concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted their leadership, and de-radicalised their cadres. The FO statement came after the United States announced a ban on The Resistance Front (TRF) — a terror outfit cited by India in the Pahalgam attack. In a sudden move, the United States designated TRF as a banned terrorist organisation — a group India claims was behind the Pahalgam terror attack. The statement said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations; zero tolerance and international cooperation against terrorism are the cornerstones of our policy. Pakistan has been, and continues to be, a frontline state in the fight against terrorism and has contributed tremendously towards the achievement of global peace through its counterterrorism (CT) efforts, including the apprehension of terrorist Sharifullah, the mastermind of the Abbey Gate bombing. Investigations into the Pahalgam incident, which occurred in the internationally-recognised disputed region of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), are still inconclusive. Any linkage with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a defunct organisation banned in Pakistan, belies ground realities. While the issue under consideration pertains to US domestic laws, India has a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda, with a view to diverting international attention from its irresponsible and rogue behaviour — including ongoing human rights atrocities, especially in IIOJ&K. As Pakistan continues to serve as a counterterrorism bulwark through unparalleled sacrifices and efficacy, we urge the international community to adopt objective and non-discriminatory policies to address this global menace through collective efforts, which must include listing terrorist organisations such as the Majeed Brigade as an alias of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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First Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Terrorists vanish and probes stay ‘inconclusive': Pakistan sees ‘no link' as investigation stalls in familiar fog
Pakistan says its probe into the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians remains inconclusive, even as the US designates the suspected group, The Resistance Front, as a terrorist proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Islamabad denies any current links and accuses India of politicising terror listings. read more Pakistan on Friday said that its investigation into the April 22 killing of 26 civilians in India's Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam remains inconclusive even as the United States designated the suspected group behind the killings a global terrorist entity. Pakistan's foreign office's statement added to a pattern of stalled probes and denied links, even as the international community points fingers at groups long linked to Pakistan's militant networks. The group in question- The Resistance Front (TRF) also known as Kashmir Resistance was formally blacklisted by the US on Thursday as a 'foreign terrorist organisation' and a 'specially designated global terrorist.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a statement issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, it was acknowledged that TRF claimed responsibility for the terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people and triggered the 4-day military escalation between India and Pakistan. In light of this, the US accorded the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Pakistan's foreign ministry rejected the allegations, stating that any link between TRF and LeT 'belies ground realities' and insisting that LeT was 'a defunct group' that had already been banned in Pakistan. 'Pakistan has a zero-tolerance policy for militancy,' the statement said, while acknowledging that investigations into the Pahalgam attack remain inconclusive. The ministry also claimed Pakistan had dismantled all relevant organisations, prosecuted their leaders, and de-radicalised their cadres. At the same time, it accused India of manipulating such global terror designations to drive 'anti-Pakistan propaganda'. Indian authorities, however, maintain that TRF is simply LeT by another name, and was directly responsible for the coordinated and brutal assault in April. They argued that the group's quick claim of responsibility — later deleted — was consistent with a longstanding pattern where militant outfits try to obscure operational footprints while receiving support from across the border. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The April attack sparked heavy fighting between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation. Washington's TRF designation signals support for New Delhi Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst and writer for Foreign Policy magazine, said in designating TRF, 'Washington is flagging its concern about the terrorist attack that provoked the recent India-Pakistan conflict, and siding with New Delhi's view that the group is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba." He added: 'This can be a shot in the arm for a U.S.-India relationship looking to rebound after a few tough months." On May 7, Indian jets bombed sites across the border that New Delhi described as 'terrorist infrastructure,' setting off an exchange of attacks between the two countries by fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery that killed dozens until a ceasefire on May 10. The ceasefire was first announced by Trump on social media after Washington held talks with both sides, but India has differed with Trump's claims that it resulted from his intervention and his threats to sever trade talks. India's position has been that New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their problems directly and with no outside involvement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India is an increasingly important U.S. partner in Washington's effort to counter China's rising influence in Asia, while Pakistan is a U.S. ally. Both Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan claim Muslim-majority Kashmir in full while ruling only parts of the Himalayan territory, over which they have also fought wars. With inputs from agencies
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Pak cries foul after US terror tag for Lashkar proxy, blames 'Indian propaganda'
Pakistan lashed out on Friday after the US designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a terrorist organisation, resorting to its usual script of deflecting blame and raking up the Kashmir terror tag for TRF comes weeks after it claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down. US officials described it as the deadliest terrorist strike on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, also orchestrated by Lashkar however, dismissed any link between the Pahalgam attack and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which it claimed is a "defunct organisation banned in Pakistan." In a statement, it said, "Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted the leadership, and deradicalised its cadres."In a familiar move, Pakistan called itself a 'frontline state against terrorism' and claimed it had 'contributed tremendously towards achievement of global peace through its counter-terrorism efforts.'The statement also rejected India's evidence-backed assertion of Lashkar's role in the Pahalgam killings, calling it a bid to 'misuse international forums to defame Pakistan.''India has a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda with a view to divert international attention from its irresponsible and rogue behaviour, including ongoing human rights atrocities, especially in IIOJ&K,' it said, using its preferred term for Jammu and also demanded that the international community adopt 'objective and non-discriminatory policies' in the fight against terrorism. This came even as Islamabad, increasingly rattled by Baloch militants targeting security installations in Balochistan, sought action against the Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).Earlier in a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Department of State had designated the TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). India welcomed the US move is likely to have repercussions at the United Nations, particularly within the Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee, a key mechanism for global terror designations. India is expected to push for further international isolation of TRF and its parent China, a permanent member of the Security Council which has routinely shielded Pakistan when it comes to sanctioning terrorists, reacted cautiously to the US move.'China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability,' said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.- EndsMust Watch
