Daily Times

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday dismissed reports of Beijing pushing Islamabad to join security efforts in Pakistan, terming them as “speculations […] motivated by an agenda to create confusion”.

The statement by Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch comes amid heightened security concerns, with China’s envoy recently expressing frustration over the attacks, which Baloch said were “perplexing” remarks.

However, on Monday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Pakistan in countering terrorism. Lin Jian also asserted that China and Pakistan had “the resolve and capability to foil any attempt to harm China-Pakistan relations and ensure that terrorists will pay the price”.

Responding to queries during a weekly press briefing in Islamabad today, Baloch said: “We do not respond to media speculations that are based on unreliable sources and motivated by an agenda to create confusion about the nature of this relationship.

“We advise media to ascertain the motivation of individuals who feed them such stories,” she stressed.

The spokesperson further asserted: “We would not allow any effort to derail the Pakistan-China strategic partnership.”

Also, the spokesperson has urged India not to politicise sports, following India’s refusal to send its cricket team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy.

“India should not politicise sports,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated.

Moreover, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said this is a fact that the terror groups receive support from India.

She recalled that Pakistan arrested an Indian Naval Officer a few years back who was the mastermind of support for espionage and terror activities in Balochistan.

The spokesperson urged the Afghan authorities to take action against the terror groups and do not allow the use of their soil against Pakistan or any other neighboring country. She said Afghanistan should take Pakistan’s repeated requests seriously and not test the patience of Pakistani people.

In response to a question about the attack on Qazi Faiz Isa in London, the spokesperson said that any form of protest should be conducted within the boundaries of the law. “Pakistanis, wherever they are, should be treated with respect and dignity, and no one should be allowed to use abusive language.”

She also stated that Pakistan and the United States share a long-standing relationship based on mutual interests and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. “Pakistan cannot demand the appointment of anyone within the U.S. administration,” she said. Additionally, the spokesperson clarified that Zalmay Khalilzad holds no official position, and that any statements on social media cannot be responded to.