Pakistan delivered a forceful condemnation at the United Nations Security Council, labeling India’s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status as a prime example of state terrorism and calling for a global crackdown on terrorist financing, including the misuse of cryptocurrency. The statement came as the world marked seven years since the controversial Indian action.
Seventh Anniversary of “Illegal” Measures
“Today, 5 August marks a grim occasion – it is the seventh anniversary of the unlawful and unilateral measures imposed in Indian-illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” said Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, during a debate on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. He described how the Kashmiri people, already enduring decades of injustice and denied their UN-guaranteed right to self-determination, were subjected to a renewed wave of repression.
The envoy asserted that India deployed 90,000 troops to enforce its decision, characterizing the ongoing situation as the worst example of state terrorism. “Pakistan stands for zero-tolerance for such blatant perpetration of state terrorism – in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and in other situations of foreign occupation,” he stated.
The Cross-Border Terrorist Nexus
Shifting focus to the regional security landscape, Ambassador Iftikhar raised alarm over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. He stated that Afghan soil has become a safe haven for terrorist groups, with the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and ISIS-Khorasan actively operating from across the border.
“The Taliban are responsible for using Afghan soil for terrorism,” he declared, emphasizing the urgent need to prevent terrorists from accessing financial and military resources. In a significant call to modernize counter-terrorism efforts, Pakistan urged the international community to block terrorists’ access to cryptocurrency and virtual assets, highlighting the evolving methods of illicit financing.
A Call for Principled Counter-Terrorism
The Pakistani representative insisted that the fight against terrorism must be comprehensive and principled, extending to the elimination of all forms of the menace, including state terrorism. He cautioned against the exploitation of counter-terrorism narratives.
“The international community must not allow counter-terrorism to be misused and abused as a pretext to suppress the internationally-recognized and legitimate struggles of peoples against foreign occupation and for their inalienable right to self-determination,” Ambassador Iftikhar warned, drawing a clear distinction between terrorism and legitimate resistance movements.
