Pakistan’s soil is sacred, President tells Parliament

ISLAMABAD: Amid protests by opposition members during the joint sitting of Parliament, President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday declared that Pakistan’s soil is sacred and will not be allowed to be exploited by any group, whether domestic or foreign, to undermine the country’s peace through neighbouring territories.The speech was frequently interrupted by protests from opposition lawmakers, particularly those from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who chanted slogans and displayed placards bearing messages such as “Free Imran Khan,”“Who will save Pakistan, Imran Khan, Imran Khan.”Despite the interruptions, the president remained steadfast in his message, particularly on issues of national sovereignty and regional security. At the heart of Zardari’s speech was the country’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, particularly cross-border threats emanating from Afghanistan and India.READ MORE: Zardari says people, armed forces stand united ‘like a wall of steel’He emphasised that Pakistan would not allow its soil to be used for hostile purposes against its peace, asserting that the “soil of Pakistan is sacred.”He referenced Pakistan’s military operations over the past three years, which had targeted Indian-sponsored terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).“Over the last three years, our armed forces and law enforcement agencies have undertaken determined and intelligence-based operations against Indian-sponsored foreign terrorists,” Zardari stated, adding that Pakistan’s resolve to tackle cross-border terrorism was unwavering, with the entire nation standing united behind its military.He also addressed the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, where terrorist groups continue to operate from Afghan soil despite diplomatic efforts by Pakistan and its allies.The United Nations Security Council recently flagged the presence of such groups in Afghanistan as an “extra-regional threat,” urging international attention.Zardari called on the Afghan authorities to dismantle these groups, citing the promises made during the Doha negotiations that had been ignored by the Afghan de facto regime.Zardari’s address was also critical of Afghanistan’s refusal to address the security concerns posed by groups like Al-Qaeda, TTP, and BLA, and he called on Afghan leaders to focus on peace rather than perpetuating conflict, which he noted had become a “war economy” benefiting only terrorists.Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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