Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has emphasized that the recent decision to ban a political party is an internal matter of Pakistan and should not be interfered with by outside commentary. She also expressed serious concerns to Afghan authorities regarding the terrorist attack at Bannu cantonment on July 15.
She urged the Afghan government to take immediate action against the perpetrators of the attack and prevent future incidents, as the presence of terror groups in Afghanistan continues to pose a threat to regional peace and security. Baloch also highlighted the deportation of over 44,000 Afghan nationals from Pakistan due to violations of immigration laws.
Furthermore, Pakistan strongly condemned the terror attack in Muscat and is closely monitoring protests in Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Pakistani students. Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov is scheduled to visit Pakistan from July 22 to 24 for extensive talks with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2024