Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday urged the international community to help in capacity building of the Afghan interim authorities to take on threats of terrorism.
As the situation remains volatile in Afghanistan, a fresh wave of terrorism was unleashed in Pakistan when the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off the ceasefire in November 2022 and started attacks on the military, paramilitary, police, and civilians.
During a panel discussion at Munich Security Conference, FM Bilawal said the global community wanted the Afghan interim government to live up to its obligations and commitments in areas like women’s education, all-inclusive government, and tackling of potential threats from terrorism emanating from terrorist groups of Daesh, TTP and Al Qaeda.
On Friday, militants stormed Karachi Police Office in the city’s main artery of Sharea Faisal. The security forces cleared the five-story building after nearly a four-hour operation. TTP — which has safe havens in Afghanistan — later claimed responsibility for the attack.
The foreign minister said that if this issue was not taken seriously, the terrorist groups could conduct terrorist activities from Afghanistan as had been witnessed recently from incidents in Pakistan.
The outlawed TTP was also involved in the Peshawar mosque suicide attack that killed more than 80 people, mainly police officers — one of the deadliest attacks in recent years.
The interim government neither had a standing army, a counter-terrorism force, or even a border force, FM Bilawal opined.
Bilawal said the global community should convince the Afghan interim government to take on the threat of terrorism and demonstrate its will. Terrorism not only posed a threat to immediate neighbors of Afghanistan but also to the West, he warned.
He said that Pakistan had helped Afghanistan in the past and would continue to do so as it had hosted the largest number of Afghan refugees on its soil, adding that the international community could not wash its hands and turn away from Afghanistan.
He stressed that the world should continue its humanitarian support, unfreeze Afghanistan’s assets, open up banking channels, and engage with the Taliban, society, and women.
The foreign minister reiterated that a peaceful Afghanistan was vital for the region’s stability, and the international community must play its role.
The Afghan interim government had assured to eradicate terrorism from its soil, he added.
Early resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Earlier today, Pakistan again emphasized the early resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Talking to his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, FM Bilawal conveyed his concerns over the conflict.
The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on a range of issues and resolved further to enhance bilateral cooperation for the benefit of their people.
Meanwhile, in a tweet, the foreign minister said he also held an enriching discussion with senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on global, regional and bilateral matters. (APP)
