‘Four countries designated as terrorist states’: Pakistan does not endorse opinion of local judge: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated the Foreign Ministry did not endorse the opinion of a local judge on the countries designated as terrorist states, saying that this kind of designation does not exist under the UN Charter or international law.

In his weekly press briefing on Thursday, the spokesperson said that this is the view of the judge. While convicting lawyer Imaan Mazari and her spouse, Hadi Ali Chattha, Additional District and Sessions Judge had noted in the ruling, “Currently there are four countries designated as terrorist states, which are Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Korea, Iran, and Syria.”

Andrabi said that this was the view of the learned judge. Pakistan, of course, does not subscribe to this opinion. “This kind of designation does not exist either under the United Nations (UN) or under international law,” he said.

The judge had made the observation while noting that Pakistan was “not included in the list of terrorist states.”

The UN Security Council has a list of individuals, entities, and other groups that it subjects to certain measures, such as sanctions, due to various reasons. While it may include certain government-affiliated departments, it does not name any country in its entirety.

Earlier on Thursday, the European Union’s (EU) Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anouar El Anouni raised concerns over the conviction of Imaan and Hadi.

The Foreign Office spokesperson said that the conviction of Imaan and Hadiis a “domestic affair of Pakistan”.

The trial and conviction took place under our local laws through a judicial process. The relevant individuals have a right to appeal and have a right to a judicial recourse, he remarked.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026