KARACHI: Pakistan has asked Switzerland to investigate the display of “Free Baluchistan” posters in Geneva and take action to stop recurrence of such an incident.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Farukh Amil drew the attention of his Swiss counterpart, Ambassador Valentin Zellweger, about the display of such posters and made it clear that the use of Swiss soil against Pakistan by violent secessionists was “totally unacceptable”.
Terming the notion of “Free Baluchistan” a flagrant attack on sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan, he stated in a letter to Mr Zellweger that it was deeply regrettable that such an attack came from Switzerland.
Mr Amil informed the Swiss diplomat that eight posters and one digital poster were on display in the area around Rue de Ferney in Grand Sacconex, Geneva, in the first week of this month.
He stated that Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva ascertained that a Swiss advertising agency APG SA was involved in display of the posters which mentioned the name of “Baluchistan House” as sponsor.
He said that the Baluchistan House (BH) was an affiliate of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which is a listed terrorist organisation under the laws of Pakistan and other countries, including the United Kingdom.
Mr Amil claimed that the “mutually overlapping leadership of BH and BLA have committed grave crimes against security forces and civilians in Pakistan, including attacks against women and children. These included targeted assassination as well as bombing to execute mass killings. They have also been involved in religious and sectarian violence, including attacks against Christians and Shia population of Pakistan”.
He said that the use of Swiss soil by terrorists and violent secessionists for their nefarious designs against Pakistan and its people was totally unacceptable.
He said it was a matter of grave concern that “terrorists or elements linked with terrorists operate openly for their propaganda campaigns” in Geneva.
The permanent representative of Switzerland to the UN was asked to investigate the incident “with a view to blocking its recurrence in the future”.
“I also hope that Swiss authorities would proceed against the local accomplices of the BLA and deal with those individuals/companies, like APG SA advertising agency, who wittingly or unwittingly support BLA,” Mr Amil stated.
Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2017
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.