Demarche on posters

The ‘Free Balochistan’ posters in the Swiss capital was perhaps timed to coincide with the 72nd session of the UNGA

For a country long known for its neutrality in global affairs, Switzerland has rarely been on the receiving end of a diplomatic demarche. The fact that the Foreign Office summoned Thomas Kolly, the Swiss ambassador-designate, and demanded an immediate explanation for the public display of anti-Pakistan posters in Geneva suggests that Islamabad is no longer willing to brook any “insidious campaign” against it by a group in Switzerland or elsewhere.

The appearance of the ‘Free Balochistan’ posters in the Swiss capital was perhaps timed to coincide with the 72^nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The posters were placed along Geneva’s Rue de Ferney which leads to the UN office there. On Monday, Zaheer Janjua, the additional secretary for Europe at the Foreign Office, accused the Swiss authorities of allowing elements linked with the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to use its territory for propaganda against Pakistan.

It is well within the state’s rights to protest against those who directly or indirectly promote outfits that perpetrate terrorism and violence in Pakistan. The neutrality principle followed by the Swiss for the last 200 years prevents it from engaging in war and disallows belligerent states from using its territory as well as bars it from supplying mercenary troops to belligerent states. The best way, however, to develop support for its cause is to convince the Swiss that they could prevent terror, conflict and sustain peace through the combined use of the instruments of peace and security.

The United Kingdom proscribed the BLA more than 11 years ago but Pakistan has not been able to get the European Union or the US to follow suit — even though the State Department has equated the group’s actions with terrorism. The BLA operates from Pakistan and Afghanistan and is widely believed to be bankrolled by India. Now more than ever, Pakistani officials said they expect Switzerland as a host country and close partner to take action against the perpetrators of the campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2017.

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