ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Friday that the Chitral terrorist attack is an “isolated” incident and it does not appear to have any authorisation by the Afghan authorities.
Talking to reporters informally after briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Jilani said that Pakistan has taken up the rising terrorist attacks in the country emanating from Afghanistan and that the two sides are in touch with each other.
“We are in dialogue with the interim Afghan government…the talks are yielding positive results,” the caretaker foreign minister said.
However, he said that the Thursday terrorist attack in Chitral is different and isolated incident. “I don’t believe that it has been sanctioned by the Afghan interim government authorities,” he added.
On Thursday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that four soldiers of the Pakistan army were martyred and 12 terrorists killed when a large group of terrorists equipped with the latest weapons attacked two military posts located close to the Afghanistan border in Chitral district’s general area of Kalash.
“Terrorists’ movement and concentration in Gawardesh, Pitigal, Barg-i-Matal and Batash areas of Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan had already been picked up and were timely shared with interim Afghan government. The valiant soldiers fought bravely and repulsed the attacks inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists,” the ISPR said in a statement.
Earlier, Jilani speaking at the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Farooq H Naek, assured that the situation in Chitral is under control. “Pakistan is actively engaged with the Afghan interim government and our ambassador is meeting Afghan interim government authorities to address the matter,” he said.
He expressed Pakistan’s commitment to preventing such a situation from recurring through continued dialogue with Afghan counterparts.
Briefing the committee regarding Pakistan’s efforts to secure full membership in BRICS, he said, “Pakistan is actively exploring the possibility of joining BRICS due to its goals of reshaping the international financial architecture and reducing dependency on the US dollar.”
He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated a consultation process with relevant stakeholders to streamline Pakistan’s entry into BRICS.
He also gave a historical overview of the BRICS and its objectives, highlighting its recent expansion to include member states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Argentina, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
He emphasized that membership in BRICS is availed on a unanimous consensus among the member states, adding that every member of the group enjoys the veto power.
Responding to queries by the committee members, Jilani said that any member resorting to such a veto, jeopardises its own standing within the group.
To the committee chairman’s question about the advantages and disadvantages of joining BRICS, he explained that Pakistan’s membership would grant it a voice on an important international forum and facilitate trade and economic relations with member countries.
He also emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to not engaging in regional power bloc politics, aiming instead for positive relations with all nations.
To another question about Pakistan’s relationship with the United States, the caretaker foreign minister highlighted the global ramifications of conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine situation. He underscored Pakistan’s policy of maintaining positive relationships with all nations, given the interconnectedness of today’s world.
About the appointment policy with regard to non-career ambassadors and high commissioners, along with the criteria for postings in various countries, the caretaker foreign minister explained that there is a 20 percent quota for non-career appointments, which is strictly adhered to.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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