Free Balochistan group’s anti-Pak activities protested with Swiss govt

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday lodged a strong protest with the Swiss government over allowing the ‘Free Balochistan’ group to openly roam about in Geneva and carry out a propaganda campaign, making a mockery of its “sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

The group is affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which is a listed terrorist organisation banned by Pakistan and the United Kingdom. The US government has also termed many of BLA activities acts of terrorism.

“We have summoned the Swiss Ambassador-designate to Pakistan, Thomas Kolly, to the Foreign Office today, and lodged a strong protest over this smear campaign, specially allowing Switzerland’s soil to be used for subversive activities which is indeed a violation of international laws. We have also demanded full investigation into the matter,” the Foreign Office spokesman told The News.

The Swiss government’s encouragement to the outlawed ‘Free Balochistan’ is specially shameful and unacceptable, as Pakistan pointed out, it is quite conceivable that local city authorities received certain revenue fee for display of these posters.

It is rare for the Foreign Office to summon a European ambassador, but anger is brewing at the ministry and this issue will not remain in Islamabad alone, but senior diplomats and even Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif will be taking it up in New York where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly session.

Europe itself has seen several terrorist attacks this year taking out scores of lives, which is indeed condemnable, so it is all the more shameful that a country that is listed as one of the top 10 peaceful countries in the world is encouraging terrorist outfits to carry out their propaganda while also filling its coffers by allowing posters to be put up.

The spokesman also pointed out a letter that has been written by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Farukh Amil, in which he has brought to the attention of the Swiss Permanent Representative Valentin Zellweger that posters by a terrorist organization have been allowed by his government all along Rue de Ferney in the Grand Sacconex area.

“The fact that terrorists or elements linked with terrorists operate openly for their propaganda campaigns in the peaceful and serene city of Geneva, capital of the United Nations, is a matter of grave concern,” the letter reads.

According to Farukh Amil’s letter released by the government and posted on social media, “The use of Swiss soil by terrorists and violent secessionists for nefarious designs against Pakistan and its 200 million people is totally unacceptable. The incident should be fully investigated with a view to blocking its recurrence in the future.”

Switzerland like most other countries is well aware of the great price that Pakistan has paid and paying to eradicate terrorism. The efforts have been applauded the world over.

So it is nothing short of sickening and appalling that Switzerland is in short ‘facilitating’ the activities of a terrorist group which has killed hundreds of innocent Pakistanis, including women and children.

Again it is no secret that the BLA receives foreign funding and training from quite a few world capitals, to allow it to plan and carry out more attacks in the future.

Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk

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