Assigning terrorism to one faith is unwarranted: FO

Rebuffs any threats as Trump tightens immigration and visa rules

ISLAMABAD: As US President Donald Trump began translating his election rhetoric into reality, Pakistan on Thursday dismissed his controversial remarks linking militancy with Islam while pointing out that as a global phenomenon, terrorism requires global cooperation to fight it out.

In his inaugural speech, Trump said he would wipe out ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ from the world, a controversial statement that has triggered fears of a more polarised world under his presidency.



Asked to comment on Trump’s statement, as well as his decision to tighten immigration and visa rules for nationals coming from certain Muslim countries, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told reporters on Thursday that assigning terrorism to one religion was unwarranted.

“We have always maintained that terrorists have no religion, faith, cast, creed, colour or ethnicity. Irrespective of who we are, we all need to work together as one people to rid ourselves of the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” Zakaria emphasised.

While expressing concerns over Trump’s categorisation of terrorism, the spokesperson voiced hope that relations between Pakistan and the US would further strengthen under his presidency.

Answering a question about former Afghan president Hamid Karzai urging the new US administration to eliminate so-called ‘terrorist sanctuaries’ from the tribal areas, the spokesperson insisted that Pakistan had done more than any other country to fight this menace. He said blaming Pakistan for their own failings in Afghanistan would not serve the purpose of any country.

RAW link suspected to Parachinar attack

The spokesperson indicated that Indian intelligence agency RAW could be behind the recent attack in Parachinar. “We are aware of the reports you mentioned that a number of terrorists were apprehended in Gilgit-Baltistan, who were identified as agents of Indian Intelligence Agency, RAW,” he said responding to a question. He said they were arrested on the charge of undertaking subversive activities to sabotage China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.



Zakaria said Pakistani authorities had beefed up security at the chancery of Bangladesh, as well as the residence of the deputy high commissioner, after a recent incident of a cracker being thrown at the diplomatic mission.

Giving details of the incident, the spokesperson said that on January 24, Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Karachi reported that a cracker had been thrown in their compound and that the chancery officials were harassed by it.

“Local police, along with the bomb disposal squad, immediately arrived at the venue after the incident was reported ...the object was a simple cracker,” the spokesperson said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2017.