PHOTO COURTESY: RADIO PAKISTAN
Addressing an anti-terrorism conference in Islamabad, Iqbal said that Pakistan was held hostage by terrorists until a few years ago.
"Terrorists targeted every class,” he said adding that 60,000 Pakistanis had sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism.
Repatriation of Afghan refugees
"Today it can be proudly stated that Pakistan has come out victorious in this war and every institution of the world considers Pakistan as an emerging power," he maintained.
Iqbal also shed light on how western agencies sent Osama bin Laden and other warriors to Pakistan but abandoned them once the Afghan war ended.
“Pakistan is still suffering from the repercussions of the Afghan war,” he said.
He even alleged that the problems of Sudan are visible to United Nations but they turn a blind eye towards the atrocities committed in Kashmir.
He further urged the international community to pay attention towards resolving conflicts in order to effectively address the menace of extremism and terrorism.
Voicing concerns over recent wave of terror unleashed by Indian troops in occupied Kashmir, the interior minister said this will not contribute to bringing peace and stability to the region.
“Responsibility rests with the world community to ensure that the blood and sufferings of any citizen regardless of his faith and ethnicity has equal sanctity. Otherwise, the terrorist outfits will exploit the situation to their advantage,” he said.
He reiterated the national resolve to cleanse any sign of terrorism to achieve the objective of peace and development.
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