Islamabad, 18 Jan. 2024 (APP)

Islamic Republic of Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in her weekly briefing today has said that Pakistan this morning carried out surgical attacks against terrorist hideouts in ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’ on Intelligence-based operation that killed a number of terrorists, not Iran as it desired peaceful relations with the neighborly brotherly country and always sought to address the challenges through dialogue.

“Pakistan fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest which is paramount and cannot be compromised,” she reiterated her remarks already issued a short after Pakistan carried out a series of 'highly coordinated' and 'specifically targeted' precision military strikes in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran.

She said that Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was currently in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum and the foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani attending NAM Summit and Third South Summit in Uganda, have cut their visits short 'in view of the ongoing developments'.

She said Pakistan considered the Iranian people as friends and brothers and had no interest in escalating the situation and hoped that 'our adversaries understand this'. Pakistan had always chosen the path of dialogue and would continue to engage with neighbors including Iran to ensure peace prevailed, she remarked.

The spokesperson told the media that over the last several years, Pakistan had consistently shared its serious concerns and shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani-origin terrorists calling themselves Sarmachars on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran.

“However, because of lack of action on our serious concerns, these so-called Sarmachars continued to spill the blood of innocent Pakistanis with impunity. This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities by these so-called Sarmachars,” she remarked.

She said the action was also a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats besides being a testimony to the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

“Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred, Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be challenged, under any pretext or circumstances.”

Spokesperson Baloch said as a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan upheld the principles and purposes of the UN Charter including territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states.

“Absolutely not” was the spokesperson’s response when asked whether the Iranian side had given prior intimation before violating Pakistan’s airspace.

She said Pakistan had remained engaged with Iran on multiple subjects like trade and energy citing the Mand-Pishin border market and Polan-Gabd transmission line, but it was 'surprising what happened two days ago'.

IRNA, Official News Agency of Islamic Republic of Iran reported today that  Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Pakistan’s chargé d'affaires to protest against the missile attack from the neighboring country to a southeastern Iranian village near Saravan on Thursday.