PM Shehbaz, President Zardari stress unconditional condemnation of terrorism, global action

PM Shehbaz, President Zardari stress unconditional condemnation of terrorism, global action.

Key points

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari pressed unified global action against terrorism and stressed that no territory was employed for terrorism against another country.
• The two leaders created these assertions in their separate messages on the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
• Even today, he remarked, our citizens and security personnel continue to produce sacrifices, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
• Echoing PM Shehbaz's words, he too remarked that Pakistan had paid an "enormous price" in the fight against terrorism.
• According to The president, terrorists had targeted Pakistanis throughout provinces, communities, faiths and institutions.

PM Shehbaz, President Zardari stress unconditional condemnation of terrorism, global action. News Desk Published August 21, 2026 Updated August 21, 2026 11: 35am. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

In practice, the two leaders created these assertions in their separate messages on the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. It is observed annually on August 21 to honour and backing the victims of terrorism.

In his message, shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X, PM Shehbaz remarked Pakistan was joining the international community in observing this day dedicated to remembering the victims of terrorism and extended its "heartfelt solidarity and tribute to all those who had suffered from this scourge".

He observed that terrorism remained one of the most serious challenges confronting humanity.

"Only those devoid of humanity can inflict suffering and play with the lives of innocent individuals to pursue their nefarious objectives. As well as those who have sustained lifelong injuries, equally deserve our compassion and solidarity, " he continued, the families of those who have lost their lives to terrorism.

In practice, the premier remarked Pakistan was among the countries that had suffered immensely from terrorism.

As well as our countless innocent citizens, have additionally laid down their lives, Not only have our valiant armed forces created the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against this scourge, but the brave officers and personnel of our law enforcement agencies.

"We salute the courage and sacrifice of all those civilians and security personnel who have lost their lives in acts of terrorism, " he remarked.

He highlighted that Pakistan had additionally paid a "heavy economic and social price" in the fight against terrorism.

"Terrorism has adversely affected the economic well-being of our individuals and hindered Pakistan's journey towards development, progress and prosperity. With our unwavering national resolve, Pakistan will continue this struggle until this menace is completely eradicated, " he remarked.

Meanwhile, the prime minister continued, "No nation, civilisation, religion or faith in the world advocates terrorism. Acts of terrorism are a manifestation of diseased minds and an expression of inhuman ideologies."

He stressed that "unconditional condemnation" of terrorism by the international community, coupled with effective mutual cooperation, was indispensable for the complete eradication of terrorism.

According to The prime minister further, the physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of victims of terrorism was additionally part of shared global responsibility and noted that the administration, despite its limited resources, consistently remained mindful of the welfare and needs of the victims of terrorism and the law enforcement personnel engaged in combating this menace.

"Pakistan has a comprehensive backing system in place for martyrs, their families and victims of terrorism. Ensuring that all victims have straightforward and timely access to healthcare, rehabilitation and essential civic services remains a foremost priority of the administration, " he noted.

While upholding universal human values and the rule of international law, he called upon relevant institutions at the global, national, collective and individual levels to raise their voices against terrorism, subversion and all negative tendencies.

In his message, shared by the Presidency on X, President Zardari expressed solidarity with the survivors of terrorism, their families and communities whose lives had been forever changed by violence.

For more than two decades, tens of thousands of our individuals, including children, political leaders, members of the armed forces, law enforcement personnel, first responders and public servants, have lost their lives.

"From Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to the innocent children and teachers of Army Public School Peshawar, and countless other Pakistanis, terrorism has inflicted wounds that remain part of our national memory, " he continued, particularly mentioning the assassination of his late wife and former prime minister Benazir in 2007 and a deadly Army Public School attack in 2014 that maintained almost 150 lives.

Even today, he remarked, "our citizens and security personnel continue to produce sacrifices, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. We salute their courage and stand with every family that has lost a loved one to terrorism".

He stressed that no religion, faith, sect, ideology, grievance, cause or political objective could justify the killing of innocent individuals.

"Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations must be condemned without distinction. The international community must ensure that no territory is applied to perpetrate terrorism against another country and that no terrorist organisation receives sanctuary, financing, weapons, logistical assistance or any other form of external backing, " he asserted.

Meanwhile, he remarked, remembrance must lead to responsibility and recovery.

Victims and survivors often lived for years with physical injuries, psychological trauma, loss of livelihood, interrupted education and social isolation, he observed, adding that their suffering could not be answered merely through immediate relief or one-time financial compensation.

"They deserve empathy, medical and psychosocial care, education, rehabilitation, legal assistance and livelihood opportunities that enable them to rebuild their lives with dignity."

In practice, the president remarked Pakistan remained committed to strengthening a coordinated and survivor-centred system of backing. "In keeping with this year's focus on victim-led digital initiatives, we should responsibly harness technology to make information, assistance and rehabilitation services more accessible to victims and their families, " he emphasised.

Supporting victims of terrorism is not an act of charity. It is a matter of justice, human dignity and national responsibility.

"Administration institutions, healthcare and educational institutions, civil society, the private sector, media and development partners must work together to ensure sustained backing for victims and their families. The suffering of victims must not disappear from our national conscience when it disappears from the news cycle, " he emphasised.

Notably, the president additionally stressed that the "struggle against terrorism must also confront the extremism, intolerance and hatred that allow violence to take root".

"We must address the social, ethnic and religious discrimination that extremists exploit to spread hatred and division. When intolerance is allowed to deepen, it can create fertile ground for radicalisation, violent extremism and ultimately terrorism, " he continued. Terrorism, he remarked, could not be defeated by security measures alone.

"We must build a society in which our young individuals are protected from radicalisation and in which differences in ethnicity, religion, sect or political belief must never become a justification for violence. No child should inherit the fear, trauma or hatred created by terrorism, " he stressed.

According to The president, terrorists had targeted Pakistanis throughout provinces, communities, faiths and institutions. Nevertheless, they had failed to "break our national resolve".

"The sacrifices of our individuals belong to no single province, ethnicity, sect or institution. They are sacrifices created for Pakistan as a whole."

On this day, he remarked, "let us remember those we have lost, stand with those who continue to bear the consequences of terrorism, and renew our collective determination to defeat terrorism and build a peaceful, tolerant, pluralistic, compassionate and resilient Pakistan".

Concluding his message, he prayed for those who lost their lives to terrorism and wished strength and patience for their families.

Taken together, the developments around PM Shehbaz, President Zardari stress unconditional condemnation of terrorism, global action point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.