Pakistan on Thursday reiterated that it had sufficient proof of terrorist groups in Afghanistan using the US left-behind weapons for terrorist activities on its soil, reminding the Kabul administration of its responsibility to act against such groups.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, at his weekly press briefing, told the media that Pakistan had repeatedly conveyed its concerns to the Afghan government and also provided evidence.
About the boat capsizing incident in Morocco, he said the foreign ministry was coordinating the repatriation of 22 Pakistani survivors. After “thorough investigations” the said individuals would be returned to Pakistan in batches as the first batch had already arrived via two flights in Islamabad on the day. The spokesperson said that the Pakistan Embassy in Rabat was in close coordination with Moroccan authorities to oversee the relief efforts and finalize the complex repatriation process.
He extended condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of those affected by the recent attack on a Saudi hospital in El Fasher, calling its a clear violation of international law. He categorically rejected the baseless and unfounded allegations aimed at targeting the Pakistan-China friendship.
To a question, the spokesperson said that Pakistan had taken note of US President Donald Trump’s decision to halt aid for 90 days and expressed hope for its resumption as the USAID was working on multiple projects in Pakistan in multiple sectors including energy, health, narcotics control and others. About the visit of US “reputed businessmen” to Pakistan, he said the foreign ministry was not processing it, though such visits were a regular feature of bilateral relations.
The spokesperson termed the US president’s suggestion of displacing Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan “troubling and unjust” and reiterated Pakistan’s stance of a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
He condemned the Israeli withdrawal from 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA and its efforts to hamper UNRWA’s ability to fulfill its mandate of providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza valley.
Moreover, the spokesperson said Islamabad was not taking “for granted” the GSP+ status awarded by the European Union, saying there was a “robust” mechanism in place for the EU to supervise and coordinate implementation of Pakistan’s obligations under the special trade incentives arrangement.
The statement came after a report published by a newspaper said EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Olof Skoog, who is on a visit to Pakistan, had warned Pakistan “not to take its GSP+ status for granted.”
