Geneva [Switzerland], October 2 (ANI): Terrorism, militant organisations operating from Pakistan, religious minority rights and Pakistan’s relationship with the European Union dominated discussions at a side event titled “Fight Against Terrorism and Human Rights” organised by Interfaith International at the UN Office at Geneva on Thursday.The event was moderated by Biro Diawara, Secretary General of Interfaith International, and attended by representatives from several countries, including Cyprus, Vietnam, Belgium and Tanzania.The panel included Georgios Manous, Member of the Greek Parliament; Gary Cartwright, Journalist, Publisher and Editor of EU Today; Stephane Michot, President of Ideal International, Paris; and Prof. K. Warikoo, Secretary General of the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation.Sayyid Ammar Al-Hakim, President and founding figure of the Al-Hakim Foundation and Leader of the National Wisdom Movement in Iraq, addressed the event through video.Opening the event, Diawara said it was organised to remember victims of terrorism, acknowledge the suffering of survivors and families of victims, and restore the dignity of those affected by terrorist violence. He stressed the responsibility of civil society in this effort.Addressing the event online, Al-Hakim spoke about the victims of terrorism in Iraq.Gary Cartwright spoke about his own experience of terrorism and focused on the relationship between Pakistan, terrorism and Europe. He highlighted the human cost of terrorism, including the loss of lives, the suffering of families and the impact of terrorist violence on communities and minorities.Cartwright said terrorist networks, when allowed to recruit, raise funds and operate, can create instability extending beyond national borders. He said Pakistan itself had suffered significantly from terrorism, including attacks attributed to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and other militant organisations.At the same time, he raised concerns about groups operating from Pakistani territory and their alleged links to attacks outside Pakistan, including in India and Afghanistan.He referred to organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, and cited the 2008 Mumbai attacks while discussing the international consequences of terrorism.Cartwright also raised concerns about religious seminaries, or madrassas, in Pakistan. Referring to a European Commission response in 2025, he said EU-supported education programmes in Pakistan included students enrolled in religious seminaries.He clarified that his remarks should not be interpreted as opposition to religious education or as an assertion that all madrassas promote extremism. However, he called for greater transparency regarding where European funding goes, who administers it, what is taught and what safeguards exist against extremist recruitment.A significant part of his intervention focused on Pakistan’s continued access to the European Union’s preferential GSP+ trade arrangement. Cartwright questioned whether the arrangement should continue unchanged without a serious assessment of Pakistan’s compliance with relevant international commitments and counter-terrorism obligations.He called for the suspension of GSP+ preferences pending such an assessment, while stressing that his objective was not to punish the Pakistani people but to encourage stronger safeguards against terrorism and extremism.A statement by Prof K Warikoo, which was read at the event, focused on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The statement said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been affected by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and referred to significant transformation in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 15 years.Warikoo called on the United Nations to come out against terrorism and said bank accounts of terrorists and terrorist organisations, as well as those assisting or financing terrorism, should be seized. He stressed the need for a well-coordinated international response against terrorism.Georgios Manous spoke about terrorism, religious freedom and the situation of minorities in Pakistan. He argued that Pakistan should be viewed not only as a country affected by terrorism but also as a country from which certain militant organisations have operated.Manous referred to United Nations and other international designations of terrorist organisations and discussed alleged links between militant groups based in Pakistan and attacks in India. Referring to the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, he said India had linked the attack to organisations operating from Pakistan.He also referred to previous attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and said militant activity in South Asia has broader regional and international consequences.Manous also raised concerns about the situation of religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly Christians. He referred to the use of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and alleged cases of violence, forced conversion and abduction involving minority women and girls.He also referred to the August 2023 attacks in Jaranwala, where churches and Christian homes were reportedly attacked, and highlighted concerns about accountability for such incidents.Manous further expressed concern over what he described as the spread of extremist ideology beyond Pakistan and referred to cases in several European countries involving Pakistani nationals.He called for stronger action against terrorism, religious persecution and forced conversions, and said European countries should protect freedom of religion and ensure that extremist violence and intolerance do not undermine democratic and human-rights principles.The discussions at the event centred on the links between terrorism, extremist networks, human rights, minority protection, terrorism financing and Pakistan’s engagement with Europe, with speakers calling for greater accountability and coordinated international action against terrorism. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)