RAW-NDS nexus undermining Pakistan's stability, Islamabad tells foreign diplomats

ISLAMABAD: Top Pakistani civilian and military officials on Wednesday briefed foreign ambassadors and heads of resident missions in Islamabad on Pakistan's achievements and challenges in counter-terrorism efforts, and combating violent extremism.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt Gen Bilal Akbar, and the directors general of Military Operations and Military Intelligence briefed members of the diplomatic corps at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In his address with the participants, the foreign minister said that the briefing had been arranged to inform the diplomatic corps about the massive counter-terrorism efforts that Pakistan had undertaken in the last 16 years, more so the developments in the last 4 years.

The diplomats were provided details about the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fassad, which had eliminated terrorist presence in Pakistan, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"They were also briefed about the terrorist threat emanating from the safe havens and sanctuaries in Afghanistan, resulting in loss of human lives and damage to infrastructure in Pakistan," it said.

The ambassadors and heads of missions were also briefed on how "Indian belligerence and unhelpful posturing is distracting Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and how an active RAW-NDS nexus is verifiably working to undermine Pakistan's internal stability."

The members of the diplomatic corps were shown evidence of an Indian campaign of unprecedented ceasefire violations, provocations and insinuations including terrorism in the form of IED attacks against innocent civilians on the Pakistan side of the LoC and the WB.

These Indian activities constitute an unfortunate "New Normal" aimed at destabilising the entire region, the statement said further.

The foreign diplomats condoled the loss of human lives in the terrorist attack in Quetta yesterday.

At least six people, including four personnel of the Balochistan Constabulary, were martyred and 17 others injured in a suicide bombing near the provincial assembly building in Quetta on Tuesday.

The Chief of General Staff thanked them and informed the members that Tuesday's terrorist attack had been traced back to Afghanistan.

Moreover, the members of the diplomatic corps appreciated the comprehensive and detailed briefing by the top-ranking civilian and military officials of Pakistan.