The Foreign Office Thursday said that it is determined to intensify efforts with friendly countries to deny space to elements which directly or indirectly threaten Pakistan's sovereignty and its territorial integrity, following Switzerland slaps entry ban on exiled Baloch leader Mehran Marri and rejects Brahumdagh Bugti's asylum request.
"We are determined to redouble our efforts in this regard. Switzerland has realized that Mehran Marri was a threat to their national interest/security and decided to deny him entry... . It is not in favour of any country to allow terrorists on its soil," spokesperson for Foreign Office Dr Mohammad Faisal told his weekly media briefing, confirming the Swiss government's decision.
Asked about Pakistan's efforts with the Swiss authorities to ban entry of Mehran Marri and reject Brahumdagh Bugti's asylum request, he said: "We continue to impress upon friendly countries to deny space to all those who directly or indirectly threaten sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan."
Commenting on Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah's admission that 'TTP has a strong foothold in Afghanistan', he said that Pakistan has repeatedly highlighted the fact that TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan], Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JUA), Daesh and other terrorist groups have established sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are involved in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
He said that TTP leader Mullah Fazalullah, mastermind and the perpetrator of the Peshawar Army Public School (APS) attack, is hiding in Afghanistan. "Additionally, we have information that the RAW has developed a robust network with the TTP, JUA and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan and they are being used for subversive activities in Pakistan," he added.
"We have shared evidence with the Afghan side and expect Afghanistan to take action against these terrorist groups. Afghanistan should not allow its territory to be used by India against Pakistan," he emphasized. To a question regarding the reported US offer to take a decisive action against terrorists hiding inside Afghanistan only when Pakistan eliminates Haqqanis, he said that Pakistan has not received anything official from the US side.
"If there is any such offer, it would be a welcome development as we have been asking the Afghan government and Resolute Support Mission to take action against terrorist sanctuaries hosting groups like TTP and JuA on the Afghan soil, who have been engaged in planning and sponsoring terrorist attacks in Pakistan," he added.
He said that Pakistan has at multiple occasions shared intelligence with Afghanistan and the US regarding the presence of terrorists along the border with a request to take action and not let the Afghan territory be used against Pakistan. He also stated that US Secretary of Defence James Mattis is expected to visit Pakistan in the next few weeks, adding the diplomatic channels are working on mutually convenient dates for this visit.
On the 87 percent increase in opium production in Afghanistan as pointed out by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), he said that Pakistan has consistently raised its serious concern about the increase in cultivation and production of opium in Afghanistan, one of the major sources of terror financing.
"We are especially concerned about the links between narco trade and terrorism, as narco trafficking is considered to be one of the major sources of terror financing in Afghanistan," he said, adding that the issue of opium cultivation and drug production poses a serious threat to the socio-economic development, security and stability not only of Afghanistan but also the surrounding region.
He urged the Afghan government to take urgent steps to end this menace under the International Drug Conventions. Responding to another query with regard to the US administration's conditionality to release the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Pakistan with actions against the Haqqani network, he said the conditionality with regard to Haqqani network is not new and was also part of previous authorizations.
The US Congress recently passed the National Defence Authorization Bill for fiscal year 2018 which includes provisions for reimbursement of $ 700 million to Pakistan under the CSF, he said. However, he said the efforts to stretch this conditionality by adding other organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) did not succeed. "Pakistan and the US are engaged in discussing all issues of mutual interest including advancing peace and stability in the region," he added.
He also reiterated that more than 43 percent of Afghan territory is ungoverned, which has created space for sanctuaries and safe havens for terrorist outfits. Commenting on Bangladesh's decision of sentencing six more people to death involved in the 'freedom' struggle during 1971, he said that Pakistan is deeply concerned over the development. "We hope and expect that the government of Bangladesh should uphold its commitment, as per the Tripartite Agreement of 1974, wherein it "decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency."
He said that Pakistan believes that matters should be addressed with a forward looking approach in the spirit of reconciliation. To another query about India's request to allow Kulbhushan Jhadev's mother to meet, along with his wife, he said that Pakistan's offer to Jhadev's wife stands intact and the Indian request for his mother's meeting is under consideration. On Lahore High Court's decision with regard to Emir Jamaat-ud-Dawa Hafiz Saeed, the spokesperson declined to comment, saying, "The question pertains to Ministry of Interior.
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