Pakistan urges global action to stop Israel’s ‘genocidal campaign’ in Gaza, calls for accountability

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday called on the interim administration in Afghanistan to bring to justice the masterminds behind a militant attack on a passenger train in Balochistan, asking Afghan authorities to take action against those responsible for orchestrating the assault since they were based on its soil.
The attack, which took place in the southwestern Bolan region, saw separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants bomb a railway track and storm the Jaffar Express, taking over 200 passengers hostage.
This was followed by a security forces rescue operation, which led to the killing of 33 BLA fighters who had stationed suicide bombers near civilians to prolong the standoff.
The separatist group accuses the government of exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources while leaving its people in poverty. Government officials deny the allegation and say they are developing the province through multibillion-dollar projects, including those backed by China.
“Terrorists were in direct communication with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident,” foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said during his weekly news briefing. “Pakistan has repeatedly asked the interim Afghan government to deny the use of its soil for a terrorist group like BLA to attack Pakistan.”
“We urge Afghanistan to hold perpetrators, organizers and financiers of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and cooperate with the government of Pakistan to bring all those who are concerned with this attack, including the real sponsors of terrorism, to justice,” he added.
Pakistan has frequently attributed the recent surge in militant violence in the country to cross-border attacks originating from Afghanistan, alleging that such incursions are “facilitated” by authorities in Kabul. The Afghan government has denied these allegations.
The foreign office spokesperson said Pakistan was addressing the threat through a multifaceted approach, combining military action, intelligence-based operations and diplomatic efforts to expose foreign sponsors of terrorism.
“So it’s a complex and multifaceted approach,” he said. “This is not a one-track approach.”

KARACHI: The father of a Pakistani-American student accepted into Columbia University’s Master’s program in Psychology said on Thursday he fully supported his daughter’s decision to decline the admission offer, citing the university’s suppression of marginalized voices amid disciplinary actions against pro-Palestinian students.
Columbia, a highly renowned and prestigious educational institution in New York, became a flashpoint for student protests after the outbreak of war in Gaza, with demonstrations both in support of and against Israel’s military action polarizing the campus. Pro-Palestinian activists accused the administration of silencing dissent, while critics of the protests argued they crossed into antisemitism.
Under mounting scrutiny, the university took disciplinary measures against pro-Palestinian students, suspending campus groups and initiating investigations into protest activities. The university framed these actions as efforts to maintain campus safety and prevent harassment, but activists saw them as a crackdown on free speech.
The newly admitted student, Amara Khan, wrote to the university administration and faculty on March 10, rejecting her offer of admission and saying that Columbia had failed to uphold its professed commitment to diversity, inclusion and academic freedom.
“Columbia was her top choice and we were all overjoyed when she got in,” Umair Khan, Amara’s father, told Arab News in response to a message. “So it was a tough decision and a brave decision — and one that we fully support. I am not sure if I would have had the courage at her age to make such a choice.”
“I am proud of her,” he added. “And I will follow her lead.”
His daughter said in her letter that the university told students during the admission process that a hallmark of the Columbia experience was being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives.
“However, in light of recent events, I find it deeply hypocritical for Columbia to continue promoting diversity and inclusion while failing to protect the voices of marginalized students,” she said.
“As a Muslim American, I cannot in good conscience choose to study at an institution that prioritizes appeasement over academic freedom and fails to stand by its students when it matters most,” she continued.
She maintained that a university that claimed to foster critical thinking and open dialogue should not silence or sideline those advocating for justice.
“For these reasons, I am declining my offer of admission,” she added.
Under the current administration of President Donald Trump, Columbia has experienced significant federal funding cuts, with an immediate cancelation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to the university this month.