UK’s Charge A’affaires, James Kariuki. Photo: file
UNITED NATIONS:
UN Security Council members on Tuesday condemned “in the strongest terms” the latest deadly terrorist attacks across several locations in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
In a press release issued at the UN headquarters in New York, the 15-member council said, “This reprehensible act of terrorism resulted in the grave loss of 48 Pakistani nationals, including 31 civilians,” including five women and three children.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for these terrorist attacks, the statement said, describing them as “heinous and cowardly”.
The Council’s statement on the escalating terrorist attacks against Pakistan was issued by the UK’s Charge A’affaires, James Kariuki, the current Council President.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the government and people of Pakistan, and wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured,” it said, affirming that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
“The members of the Security Council emphasized 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 cooperate actively 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 unjustified, regardless of their motivation, committed anywhere, anytime and by whomever.
They reaffirmed the need for all States, 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, to combat threats to international peace and security caused by acts of terrorism.”
More than 250 people have been killed in coordinated attacks launched by India-sponsored terrorists in 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 the ongoing counter-terrorism operations”.
He added that at least 36 civilians and 22 security personnel were killed during the coordinated attacks in restive Balochistan.
The outlawed 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 listing request was already under consideration by the council.
“We hope that the Council will act swiftly to designate the BLA under the 1267 sanctions regime, granting the listing request currently under consideration,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told a UN Security Council briefing on ‘Threats to international peace and security posed by acts of terrorism’.
In his remarks, the envoy thanked UNSC members for issuing a press release condemning the recent attacks in Balochistan and expressed appreciation for what he described as an international “outpouring of support and solidarity with Pakistan”.
“We remain resolute in removing this externally sponsored scourge from our soil and exposing the sponsors, financiers, aides and abettors sitting across our borders,” said Ambassador Ahmad.
Ambassador Ahmad said Pakistan had paid a heavy price in the global fight against terrorism.
“As a frontline state in the global fight against terrorism, we have sacrificed blood and treasure – with more than 90,000 casualties and staggering economic losses over the years,” he said.
Recalling Pakistan’s role in past counter-terrorism efforts, he said Al Qaeda’s “core” had been “largely decimated in Afghanistan due to Pakistan’s instrumental efforts,” adding that Pakistan had also played a leading role in combating the militant Islamic State group’s regional affiliation.
However, Ambassador Ahmad warned that the security situation had worsened in recent years, especially after the Taliban took over Kabul.
“Externally sponsored and foreign funded proxy terrorist groups like Fitna al Khawarij TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) and Fitna al Hindustan BLA and its Majeed Brigade have been given a new lease of life,” he said.
“Operating with near impunity from Afghan soil and with the active support of our eastern neighbor, these groups are responsible for heinous terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.”
Referring to the recent violence in Balochistan, he said the BLA had claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks across multiple locations.
“Just this weekend, the BLA claimed responsibility for a series of terrorist attacks across several 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 retort by our valiant security forces”.
