Islamabad: The UN Security Council has urged all UN member states to cooperate with Pakistan to apprehend those responsible for the latest attack on a mosque in Peshawar.
The strongest reaction from the UN Security Council came in a press statement condemning the attack and expressing sympathy and condolences to the families of victims. The attack that took place during Friday prayers resulted in the deaths of at least 62 people and injured dozens more. The Daesh affiliate, also known as ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack.
UNSC members emphasised the need “to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the government of Pakistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard,” said the statement by the council’s current president and UAE Ambassador to UN Lana Zaki Nusseibeh.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. The council “reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means … threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts,” the statement added.
UN condemns attack
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the horrific attack, saying that “Houses of worship should be havens, not targets.” He expressed solidarity with those who have lost loved ones, and with the people of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to UN Munir Akram thanked the UN secretary general and security council members especially UAE and China for condemning the terrorist attack and voicing support for Pakistan.
Pakistan raises cross-border terrorism issue
Last month, Pakistan urged the UN Security Council to hold accountable those who continue to support, finance, and sponsor cross-border terrorist attacks into its territory. Pakistani representative Umer Siddique raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and urged the UN body to ensure that Afghanistan’s territory was not used for launching attacks in Pakistan.
“UNSC listed terrorist entities such as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) have carried out hundreds of cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistani military and civilians from Afghanistan through external support,” Siddique said, adding that Pakistan has shared “irrefutable evidence” with UNSC on perpetrators of terrorist attacks inside its territory.
