By Afshain Afzal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan today on 5 May 2025. He held meetings with senior civil and military leadership in Islamabad. During his visit he discussed various issues including international sanctions on Iran, security situation in Middle East, trade and economy, joint counter terrorism efforts in Balochistan, and tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack.

The important feature of the visit was proposal of joint counter terrorism operations in Balochistan. Tehran was of the view that unless both countries carryout joint operations terrorists cannot be eliminated. If we recall, the Iranian Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the IRGC Ground Force, recently announced that Iranian forces have killed 100 terrorists and arrested 150 others in a series of operations across Sistan Balochistan since last November. The operations follow a deadly attack in the Gohar Kuh region and underscore the ongoing battle to secure Iran’s southeastern frontier. Sistan Balochistan was part of Pakistan with Sunni population but was handed over to Iran during the dictatorship of General Ayub Khan.

As regard to counter terrorism efforts in Pakistan, as per the Press Releases issued by Inter Services Public Relations on its official website, Pakistani security forces have killed 330 human beings to whom they dub as Khawarij, out of which 82 were killed between 22 and 30 April 2025. In many case the properties of killed Khawarij have been taken over by the authorities as enemy properties.

Indian security forces massacred thousands of Kashmiris in past few years. After Pahalgam terrorist attack, senseless joint combing and search operations Indian security forces has accelerated killings and arrests and between 22 April and 4th May 2025, 390 Kashmiris have been killed or have gone missing while recorded apprehensions have crossed 2000. Many properties of innocent Kashmiris have been demolished or attached and taken over by the Indian authorities on the suspicion of being terrorists or facilitators to terrorists. s.

India security forces killed thousands of Kashmiris in past few years. After Pahalgam terrorist attack, senseless joint combing and search operations India security forces has accelerated and between 22 April and 4^th May 2025, 390 Kashmiris have been killed or missing while recorded apprehensions have crossed 2000. Many properties of innocent Kashmiris have been demolished or attached and taken over by the Indian authorities on the suspicion of being terrorists or facilitators to terrorists.

No one denies menace of terrorism but how long India, Pakistan and Iran would be killing general masses without proper trial and confirmations. These counterterrorism operations often aim at ethnic cleansing. It is ironic that the founder of Pakistan in 1929 demanded in his famous 14 points “Reforms should be introduced in Balochistan and N.W.F.P (KPK) on the footings of other provinces but still the issue is pending. The United Nations and Human Rights organizations as well as civilized countries of the world must discourage such inhuman practices and initiated dialogue to resolve pending issues like right of self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and equal rights including opportunities to the people of people of Balochistan and tribal areas bordering Afghanistan (KPK).