Pakistan summons Swiss envoy over 'Free Balochistan' posters in Geneva

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday summoned Switzerland's ambassador-designate to lodge protest over the display of anti-Pakistan posters in Geneva, the Foreign Office said.

Ambassador-designate

Thomas Kolly

was summoned by the Foreign Office after some posters, reading "Free Balochistan", were displayed in Geneva. The poster campaign was apparently orchestrated by the

Balochistan Liberation Army

(BLA), a banned entity in Pakistan.

The Foreign Office in a statement said that

Kolly

met Additional Secretary (Europe) Zaheer A Janjua.

"A strong protest was lodged with the ambassador on allowing the use of Swiss territory by elements linked with a terrorist organisation perpetrating terrorism and violence in Pakistan," it said.

It was underlined that these posters had been "sponsored by a terrorist organisation proscribed by Pakistan as well as some other countries."

The envoy was asked to convey to his government Pakistan's strong protest on allowing its space to a terrorist organisation to carry out activities against Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in contravention of the UN Charter and international law, the statement said.

The Swiss government was urged that as host country and a close partner, action should be taken against the perpetrators of such a malicious campaign.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Permanent Mission to United Nations at Geneva demanded Swiss government to take strict actions against the culprits involved in this act.

In his letter, the Permanent Representative of the Mission, Farrukh Amil, said the use of Swiss soil by terrorist and violent secessionists for nefarious designs against Pakistan and its 200 million people is totally unacceptable.

He said that the terrorists or elements linked with terrorists operate openly in the peaceful and serene city of Geneva for their propaganda campaigns is a matter of grave concern.

The ambassador said that "Swiss authorities should be alert about presence of Balochistan Liberation Army terrorists or elements linked with such terrorists in Geneva."

Amil also demanded an investigation into the campaign with a view to blocking its recurrence and expressed hope that Swiss authorities will proceed against the local accomplices of the BLA for supporting a terror group.