ISLAMABAD: Pakistan called for a comprehensive international approach to combat militancy at a United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) briefing in New York on Wednesday, expressing full support for the agency’s mandate and advocating for sustainable funding through the UN budget.
The UNOCT, established in June 2017, is a specialized UN body tasked with strengthening international cooperation against militancy and assisting member states in implementing counter-terrorism strategies.
Speaking on behalf of Pakistan, Muhammad Jawad Ajmal, a diplomat at the country’s UN mission, underscored Pakistan’s longstanding battle against militant groups, noting that the country has lost over 80,000 lives fighting banned outfits such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Daesh and the Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
“Terrorism must be tackled at all stages: indoctrination, recruitment, financing and cross-border threats,” he said, identifying poverty, injustice, unresolved conflicts, foreign occupation and the denial of self-determination as key drivers of militancy.
Ajmal also stressed the need to counter Islamophobia, xenophobia and extremist ideologies, including far-right nationalist and anti-Muslim movements, which he said contributed to radicalization and global instability.
He urged reforms in the UN’s counterterrorism architecture, calling for a fairer sanctions regime and adequate resources for the Ombudsperson’s Office to ensure just implementation.
He maintained that Pakistan also wanted tighter regulation of emerging technologies, including cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence and online communication tools, to prevent their exploitation by militant outfits for recruitment, financing and disinformation.
Ajmal’s statement came just days after a twin suicide bombing in northwestern Pakistan killed 18 people.
The country has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent years, which Islamabad attributes to cross-border attacks from Afghanistan, alleging they are “facilitated” by Kabul.
However, Taliban officials in Afghanistan have denied the accusation.
Pakistan calls for comprehensive global effort to counter militancy at UN meeting
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Pakistan calls for comprehensive global effort to counter militancy at UN meeting
- The country says ‘terrorism must be tackled at all stages’ like indoctrination, recruitment and financing
- It stresses the need to counter Islamophobia, saying it contributes to radicalization and international instability
Pakistan praises Qatar’s ‘positive role’ on National Day, seeks deeper trade and investment ties
- Zardari says relations with Qatar are rooted in shared values, mutual respect and people-to-people contacts
- He says Pakistan sees energy, agriculture and technology as priority areas for expanding bilateral cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday praised Qatar’s “positive role” at the regional and international level and called for enhanced trade and investment cooperation as the Gulf state marked its National Day, according to a statement from the presidency.
Pakistan and Qatar maintain close diplomatic, economic and security ties, underpinned by energy cooperation, labor links and growing defense engagement. Qatar hosts a large Pakistani expatriate workforce, employed mainly in construction, services, transport and security, making remittances a key pillar of the relationship.
Security ties have also expanded in recent years, with Pakistan providing military training and advisory support to Qatari forces. The two countries cooperated on security planning and personnel deployment for the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted by Doha.
Qatar has also played a diplomatic role in the region, most recently mediating between Pakistan and Afghanistan following fierce border clashes earlier this year in which dozens of people were killed on both sides.
“Qatar’s positive role at the regional and international level is commendable,” President Asif Ali Zardari said in a message issued on the occasion of the Arab country’s National Day.
“Pakistan is keen to further expand cooperation with Qatar in trade and investment,” he added.
In his message, Zardari extended congratulations to Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and conveyed best wishes to the Qatari people, describing relations between the two countries as close, enduring and rooted in shared values and mutual respect.
He said Qatar had achieved significant development and progress under the Amir’s leadership and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
Zardari said Pakistan sought to deepen partnerships with Qatar in sectors including energy, agriculture and technology, while highlighting manpower cooperation and people-to-people contacts as the foundation of the relationship.
The president also expressed Islamabad’s resolve to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.
