US reaffirms Pakistan's right to self-defence

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK:

The United States has reaffirmed its support for Pakistan's right to defend itself against terrorism as Islamabad intensified its diplomatic campaign at the United Nations, highlighting the country's heavy human and economic toll from terrorism and calling for a stronger global counterterrorism strategy.

Responding to questions about the continuing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the US State Department said Washington "supports Pakistan's right to defend itself against terrorist attacks", adding that "the Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists".

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's Taliban authorities of harbouring terrorists responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, particularly members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as well as groups involved in Balochistan, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade.

The remarks came as the UN General Assembly adopted a Pakistan-supported resolution on the ninth review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) by a large majority after the United States, Israel and Argentina broke consensus on the document.

The resolution, titled 'The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: Ninth Review', retains the framework's four foundational pillars and urges member states to finalise a comprehensive convention aimed at closing critical loopholes in existing international law and establishing a universally binding legal framework.

The resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 140 in favour and three against - Argentina, Israel and the United States - while Japan did not participate in the vote. Japan's delegate later said the abstention resulted from a technical error and that his delegation had intended to vote in favour.

Addressing the plenary meeting, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, welcomed the adoption of the resolution and expressed hope that it would reinforce global counterterrorism efforts through stronger multilateral cooperation.

"Pakistan has remained at the forefront of global counterterrorism efforts, having played an instrumental role in its success over the years, particularly against Al Qaeda and other groups, and in this process we have also rendered immense sacrifices as a principal victim of terrorism," he said.

The ambassador told the General Assembly that terrorism against Pakistan was "supported, sponsored by our adversaries in the region through their support of proxy groups such as the TTP, BLA, the Majeed Brigade, as well as other groups, including ISIL-K, and their affiliates".

He said more than 1,200 Pakistanis lost their lives in terrorist attacks last year alone, adding that terrorism transcends national boundaries and has evolved into an increasingly interconnected and decentralised global threat, requiring a multifaceted international response.

Ambassador Ahmad expressed disappointment that the latest review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy had failed to address emerging challenges despite efforts by Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to strengthen the document.

"For a future free from terrorism, a robust multilateral strategy is needed," he said, calling for a comprehensive assessment of emerging threats in both the physical and virtual domains and realistic pathways for resolving protracted conflicts.

He also urged the international community to reaffirm the right to self-determination in accordance with international law, reject attempts to equate legitimate struggles for self-determination with terrorism, and condemn states complicit in state terrorism against peoples living under foreign occupation.

The envoy further called for measures to combat xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, counter the growing threat posed by violent nationalist, far-right, neo-fascist and supremacist groups, eliminate Islamophobic narratives and terms such as "Islamic terrorism" and "radical Islam", and end the stigmatisation of Muslims.

He also urged reforms to the UN's counterterrorism architecture and sanctions regime and called for international bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to remain inclusive, transparent and free from political manipulation.

He said the failure to achieve consensus after three years of negotiations represented a missed opportunity but should serve as a wake-up call for stronger international cooperation, adding that Pakistan remained committed to working with all UN member states to strengthen global efforts against terrorism.