The chargé d’affaires of the United Kingdom, James Kariuki. Photo: archive
UNITED NATIONS:
Members of the UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned “in the strongest terms” the recent deadly terrorist attacks in multiple locations in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
In a press statement issued at UN headquarters in New York, the 15-member Council said: “This reprehensible act of terrorism led to the painful loss of 48 Pakistani citizens, including 31 civilians,” including five women and three children.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for these terrorist attacks, the statement said, describing them as “heinous and cowardly”.
The Council statement on the escalation of terrorist attacks against Pakistan was issued by the Chargé d’Affaires of the United Kingdom, James Kariuki, current President of the Council.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan, and wished a speedy and complete recovery to the injured,” he said, reaffirming that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
“Members of the Security Council stressed the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.
“They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to actively cooperate with the Government of Pakistan in this regard,” the statement added.
“The members of the Security Council reiterated that any act of terrorism is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, where, when and whoever commits it.
“They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.”
More than 250 people have been killed in coordinated attacks launched by Indian-sponsored terrorists across Balochistan since Saturday, a security official said on Wednesday.
A senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP on Wednesday that “197 terrorists have been killed in ongoing counter-terrorism operations.”
It added that at least 36 civilians and 22 security personnel were killed during the coordinated attacks in restive Balochistan.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement sent to AFP.
Meanwhile, Pakistan urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to move quickly to designate the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a terrorist organization under its sanctions regime, saying the council was already considering the request for listing.
“We hope that the council will act quickly to designate BLA under the 1267 sanctions regime, granting the request for listing that is currently under consideration,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said at a UN Security Council briefing on “Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.”
In his remarks, the envoy thanked members of the UN Security Council for issuing a press statement condemning the recent attacks in Balochistan and expressed appreciation for what he described as an “outpouring of international support and solidarity with Pakistan.”
“We remain determined to eliminate this externally sponsored scourge from our soil and expose the sponsors, financiers, collaborators and instigators located across our borders,” Ambassador Ahmad said.
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan had paid a heavy price in the global fight against terrorism.
“As a frontline state in the global counterterrorism effort, we have sacrificed blood and money, with more than 90,000 casualties and staggering economic losses over the years,” he said.
Recalling Pakistan’s role in earlier counter-terrorism efforts, he said the “core” of Al Qaeda was “largely decimated in Afghanistan due to Pakistan’s instrumental efforts”, adding that Pakistan had also played a leading role in the fight against the regional affiliate of the Islamic State militant group.
However, Ambassador Ahmad warned that the security situation had deteriorated in recent years, particularly after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.
“Externally sponsored and foreign-funded terrorist groups such as Fitna al Khawarij TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) and Fitna al Hindustan BLA and its Majeed Brigade have been given a new life,” he said.
“These groups, operating with virtual impunity from Afghan soil and with the active support of our eastern neighbor, are responsible for heinous terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.”
Referring to the latest violence in Balochistan, he said the BLA had claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks in multiple locations.
“Just this weekend, the BLA claimed responsibility for a series of terrorist attacks in multiple locations in Balochistan province that resulted in the martyrdom of 48 innocent civilians, including five women and three children,” he said, adding that “145 BLA terrorists were neutralized during the effective response of our gallant security forces.”
