ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday urged Afghanistan to hand over terrorists involved in terrorism in Pakistan. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the Afghan authorities should extradite terrorist leaders linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) involved in carrying out acts of terrorism within Pakistan. She emphasized that Pakistan has accumulated substantial evidence against these individuals and assured that Pakistan will take legal action against them in accordance with its laws. In a media interaction, Baloch disclosed that the Foreign Secretary earlier conveyed a robust demarche to the Afghan Chargé d’affaires in response to the recent deadly attack in Dera Ismail Khan.
She said the Foreign Secretary demanded that the Afghan government publicly denounce the attack at the highest level, conduct a comprehensive investigation, and take stern measures against those found responsible for the incident.
Touching upon the Indian Supreme Court’s endorsement of the Modi government’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Baloch categorically dismissed its legal validity, emphasizing that Pakistan outright rejects the judgment. She argued that the Indian Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction over the internationally recognized disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, and no country in the world recognizes it as an integral part of India. Baloch underscored Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to advocating for the rights of the Kashmiri people on the global stage until they secure their right to self-determination. Regarding potential talks with India, she clarified that Pakistan is open to dialogue but insisted it must be on equal terms and without any compromise on the Kashmir cause. Baloch stressed that for negotiations to commence, India must rescind the illegal steps taken on August 5, 2019, pertaining to Kashmir. She said India was involved in extraterritorial killings and kidnappings within South Asia, asserting that India’s network of espionage and terrorism has expanded globally.
