Pakistan has suffered most in war on terror, FO reminds US

“60, 000 people including 6, 000 security personnel have lost their lives in this war,” he said, while commenting on the Pentagon’s decision not to provide US$300 million to Pakistan in military reimbursements, at his weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

Pakistan has once again stated that it was taking action against all the terrorist groups without any discrimination.

He said operation Zarb-e-Azb had seen a resounding success due to which last bastions of terrorists in the tribal areas had been cleared. He said Pakistan would continue its fight against terrorism with firm resolve and determination and would ensure that the cleared areas did not slide back to the terrorists.

Ban on Jamaat-e-Ahrar welcomed

Responding to a question about the banning of Jamaat-e-Ahrar by the United States, the spokesman said Pakistan welcomed the decision.  He said Pakistan had long been pleading to take concrete action against the TTP and other groups which were perpetrating attacks in Pakistan while operating from Afghanistan.

“The primary objective of border management with Afghanistan is to regulate the movement of people and avert the incursions of terrorists and undesired elements. The two sides have evolved a mechanism to discuss the border related issues. However we are surprised and disappointed over the recent statements of Afghanistan over the construction of gate at Torkham,” je said.

Nafees Zakaria said that the construction of the gate was not an unfriendly act but aimed at regulating the cross border movement of the people. He also clarified that there were no bilateral agreements between the two countries barring the construction of the gate which the Pakistani side had erected well inside its territory.

On the Kashmir dispute, the spokesperson said Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle to the right of self determination, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said Pakistan had strongly taken up with the international community and the human rights organizations the recent wave of atrocities unleashed by the Indian troops in the held valley over the last one month.

He said a number of countries and human rights organizations have also expressed serious concerns over the prevailing situation in Indian Held Kashmir.

Zakaria said our missions abroad have sanitized the human rights organizations and their host countries about the Indian persecution of innocent Kashmiris. There is growing realization in the world now about the sensitivity of Kashmir dispute which is distinct in nature and cannot be equated with any other issue.

The spokesperson reminded that Kashmir was an international issue and there were several United Nations Security Council resolutions on it.

About the stranded Pakistani people in Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said Pakistani mission there has taken adequate steps to address their problems. “To a great extent, the crisis is over.”