Pakistan disappointed as US blocks move to place JuA chief on terror list

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed disappointment over the failure of the United Nations Security Council's sanctions committee in listing of Umer Khalid Khurasani, leader of banned outfit Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA).

"We are deeply disappointed ... he has the blood of hundreds of innocent Pakistanis on his hands," Foreign Office spokesman Dr Faisal said during the weekly briefing on Thursday. "If the organisation, JuA, has been listed by the sanctions committee, its leader should also have been listed," he argued.

The spokesman confirmed that the US had blocked the recommendation. "The US move shows double standards in fighting terror," he said, adding the move also showed complete disregard of the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

The sanctions committee did not approve Pakistan's request to list Umer Khalid Khurasani alias Abdul Wali, since it could not reach a consensus due to disagreement by a member, the spokesperson said. "But the committee has not yet formally conveyed this development to us."

JuA was listed by the sanctions committee in 2017. The organisation is based in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan and has been involved in a series of terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

The Foreign Office called for respect to international agreements in its formal response to US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the historic Iran nuclear deal. "Pakistan believes that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) represents a very good example of a negotiated settlement of complex issues, through dialogue and diplomacy," the spokesman said.

He said Pakistan believes that international treaties and agreements concluded through painstaking negotiations are sacrosanct. "Arbitrarily rescinding such agreements will undermine confidence in the value of dialogue and diplomacy in the conduct of international relations and the peaceful resolution of disputes," he added.

The spokesman recalled that Pakistan had welcomed the JCPOA when it was concluded and hoped that all parties will find a way for its continuation, especially when the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly verified Iran's compliance. "We have noted the willingness of the parties to the agreement to work together on upholding their respective commitments as stipulated in the JCPOA, despite US decision to withdraw from it," he said.

Referring to the situation in Indian-held Kashmir, the FO said neither can India break the will of the Kashmiri people nor can it succeed in misleading the international community through its malicious propaganda by terming the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination as 'terrorism'. "Indeed, in the history of the past 70 years, it has been demonstrated time and again that the ferocity and inhumanity of India's state-terrorism in Held Kashmir is no match to the resolve and resilience of the innocent and unarmed Kashmiri people," the spokesman said.

"Pakistan calls upon the world community to play its rightful role in promoting a just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. We believe this is a sine qua non for durable peace and stability in South Asia," the spokesperson added.