FM Bilawal reiterates Pakistan's firm resolve to eradicate terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday reiterated Pakistan’s firm resolve to continue its efforts for the eradication of terrorism.

The Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations on Friday hosted a commemorative event titled Remembering Victims of Army Public School, Peshawar Terrorist Attack at the UN Headquarters to mark the 8th Anniversary of the Victims of the Terrorist Attack on Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, falling on 16th December.

Pakistan hosted this event as part of the UN Office of Counter Terrorism’s Memories campaign that was launched in Malaga, Spain in May 2022 and also reflected in the first UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism that was held in September 2022 in New York, Radio Pakistan reported.

The Army Public School terrorist attack killed more than 140 innocent civilians, including 132 children, at the hands of TTP terrorists. This was one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks in the history of Pakistan.

Addressing the event as Keynote Speaker, FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s firm resolve to continue its efforts for the eradication of terrorism.

The foreign minister said the responsibility for the attack was claimed by the so-called Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council and several member states.

He said the shock of this attack mobilized Pakistani nation and motivated us to eliminate terrorism from our soil. Massive military operations were undertaken to wipe out terrorists from our country.

He said unfortunately, the TTP and some other terrorist groups have found safe havens across the border from where they have been conducting periodic attacks against Pakistan’s military and civilian targets.

The foreign minister said to cover up its terrorist actions against Pakistan, India continues to try to discredit Pakistan by accusing it of terrorism.

He said we witnessed this propaganda again at the special CTC meeting held in India last October. India has also made efforts to discredit FATF and harm Pakistan. While Pakistan was preparing to exit from the FATF grey list, India made several proposals to the Security Council to list individuals already banned by Pakistan.

FM Bilawal said over the years, Pakistan has exposed India’s two-pronged policy on terrorism, fomenting terrorism against Pakistan and other neighbours and against the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir on one side while pretending to be a victim.

He said Pakistan will continue its efforts to hold India accountable for its acts of terrorism.

He said our intelligence agencies have concrete evidence of providing financial and organizational support and instructions to the TTP by agents of our neighbours.

He said we have shared with the UN Secretary General and the Security Council a comprehensive dossier containing concrete evidence of external support for the TTP and other terrorist groups working against Pakistan.

The foreign minister said we hope and expect that the new authorities in Kabul will be able to prevent the TTP from carrying out cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan as they promised in the Doha Agreement and subsequent policy declarations.