POLITICS & POLICY MAKING

Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the security of Chinese nationals working on various projects within the country. During a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch emphasized that this commitment had been communicated to senior Chinese leadership.
The spokesperson further reiterated Pakistan's stance against engaging in talks with terrorist organizations, specifically rejecting any offers to negotiate with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). She stated that the Afghan authorities must act against militant groups using Afghan soil to target Pakistan, a responsibility the Afghan government shares with the international community.
Baloch also condemned recent Israeli attacks on civilian areas in Lebanon, which have resulted in tragic casualties, and criticized Israel's actions against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). She called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Palestine and Lebanon, stressing the need for humanitarian access.
Regarding Pakistan's interest in joining BRICS, Baloch stated that the country considers itself eligible for membership in the multilateral forum. She also brought attention to India’s extrajudicial killings of Sikhs abroad, urging the international community to take action against such practices.
On the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, she noted that Pakistan supports her mercy petition to the U.S. president and is following the matter closely, given its significance to the Pakistani public.