BRICS recently adopted a declaration against Pakistan’s terrorist groups, to which the latter’s interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, on Monday said, the declaration contained “nothing new.”
China’s policy towards Pakistan has not changed, the minister emphasised, as he addressed a press conference after visiting Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum in Karachi.
“The declaration made by BRICS is the same as the one made at the Heart of Asia conference. There is no change in China’s policy (towards Pakistan in the declaration),” as reported.
“Pakistan was in attendance at the Heart of Asia conference. They have copied the declaration that was made then,” Iqbal said. He further added that the Chinese government was firm on their commitment and friendship with Pakistan.
The minister stated that the BRICS declaration was not against Pakistan, however, he also specified that the declaration reinforces Pakistan’s stance that banned organization’s are not accepted by the country and therefore, are not part of Pakistan’s policy.
Earlier this month, the leaders of the BRICS Council (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) declared militant groups allegedly based in Pakistan as a threat to the regional security, calling for their patrons to be held to account.
The declaration mentions names of The Taliban, Islamic State, Al Qaeda and its affiliates, including Eas¬tern Turkistan Islamic Move-ment, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizbut Tahrir.