Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, : Pakistan on Tuesday reiterated its firm and unchanged stance on terrorism and foreign occupation, dismissing misinterpretations circulating in certain media circles.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson, it was emphasized that Pakistan remained committed to its well-established policy on the matter.
The spokesperson expressed regret over what was described as a “quaint spin” by some media outlets, which allegedly distorted and misrepresented Pakistan’s position.
The statement clarified that this also misinterpreted Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and international consensus on counter-terrorism and foreign occupation.
The spokesperson added that during the UN Security Council briefing on “Threats to international peace & security caused by terrorist acts” held on 10 February 2025, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan said “we must address the root causes of terrorism that include poverty, injustice and prolonged unresolved conflicts, foreign occupation and denial of the right to self-determination to peoples under colonial and foreign domination and alien rule, such as in the occupied territories of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir. Without addressing the root causes, we can hope for little success if our focus remains restricted to the consequences of such policies.”
Pakistan and the OIC have long emphasized the need for a comprehensive counter-terrorism approach that addresses the root causes of terrorism, including conflict resolution, the end of foreign occupation, opposition to oppression, and efforts to eradicate poverty while promoting sustainable economic growth and development.
This stance also aligns with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/288 on the “Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.”
Moreover, alongside the OIC, Pakistan has consistently maintained that any definition of terrorism must clearly distinguish between acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggles of peoples under foreign or colonial occupation for self-determination and national liberation, the spokesperson added.
