Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan that resulted in the deaths of civilians, with Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi accusing India of openly supporting terrorist activities in the province.
Speaking to the media, he said India’s statements and actions demonstrated a consistent pattern of backing terrorism in Balochistan.
Andrabi also criticised reactions in the Indian media to the deaths of Pakistani citizens, saying that reports and comments celebrating the killings had exposed what he called New Delhi’s double standards. He said India’s response to terrorist incidents in Balochistan was itself indicative of its position on the issue.
Pakistan, he said, condemned terrorism in the strongest terms and maintained that no justification could be offered for attacks targeting civilians.
Responding to suggestions that Islamabad had abandoned its efforts to promote peace, Andrabi said Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives and mediation efforts were continuing.
He also expressed hope that conditions in the Strait of Hormuz would soon return to normal, stressing the need to safeguard maritime security and ensure the uninterrupted freedom of navigation.
On Afghanistan, the Foreign Office spokesperson said Pakistan remained committed to international efforts aimed at addressing the country’s humanitarian crisis. Islamabad, he added, would continue facilitating the movement of aid delivered by the United Nations and other partner organisations.
Andrabi said that 45 trucks carrying humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan had already crossed through Pakistan. He reiterated that Pakistan’s position on establishing a humanitarian corridor remained unchanged.
At the same time, he said bilateral relations with Afghanistan had yet to improve significantly. Meaningful progress, he added, would remain difficult unless the Afghan authorities stopped allowing their territory to be used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Andrabi said Kabul must provide credible assurances that Afghan soil would not serve as a base for attacks against Pakistan, stressing that normal relations could not advance until Islamabad’s security concerns were properly addressed.
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