ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan has urged the Afghan government to take action against those involved in the Jaffar Express attack in Balochistan.
In a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that the attack on the passenger train was part of a terrorist plan originating from outside the country.
He emphasized that the Taliban-led Afghan government should cooperate with Pakistan against terrorism.
On Tuesday, a group of terrorists attacked the Jaffar Express near Sibi in Balochistan and held over 400 passengers hostage. The Pakistani forces later launched an operation and eliminated all 33 terrorists and rescued passengers by Wednesday.
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told Dunya News that 21 civilians had already been martyred before the operation began. The rescue mission concluded with the safe recovery of all passengers, though four FC personnel also embraced martyrdom.
The Foreign Office spokesperson also condemned Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid and halting of electricity supply to Gaza, calling it the manifestation of Israel’s systematic campaign to weaponize aid and dehumanize the Palestinian people.
He condemned the continuing Israeli assault against the people of West Bank and Gaza, which has resulted in the tragic loss of innocent lives, including women and children.
He said that the Israeli attempts to dismantle the operations of the humanitarian agencies, including United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were unacceptable.
“We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in West Bank and Gaza; protection of civilians; and unrestricted humanitarian access to those in urgent need. The international community must step in to end Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinians in Gaza. We also urge the international community to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he remarked.
The spokesperson also denounced the Indian authorities’ decision to declare the ‘Awami Action Committee’ and ‘Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen’ as ‘Unlawful Association’ for a period of five years.
He said that the ‘Awami Action Committee’ was led by a prominent political and religious leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while ‘Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen’ was also founded by another notable political and religious leader, Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, who headed it till his demise in 2022.
“The recent decision increases the total number of outlawed Kashmiri political parties and organizations to 16. Banning of different political parties and organizations is yet another manifestation of the Indian authorities’ iron-fisted approach in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the spokesperson remarked.
He said that the Indian decision also reflected a desire to suppress the political activities and stifle dissent besides showing sheer disregard of democratic norms and international human rights law.
Spokesperson Shafqat Khan also urged the Indian government to remove the curbs on the Kashmiri political parties; release all political prisoners; and faithfully implement the UN Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The deputy prime minister also condemned the proposal of resettlement of Palestinians in other countries; underscored the imperative for the establishment of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital; and emphasized on the necessity of concrete measures to realize the two-State Solution as the only means of achieving lasting peace in the region.