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New York, 30 March 2016
US Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney joined Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi and representatives of Pakistani-American organizations to stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their moment of intense grief after the horrific attack in Lahore.
The condolence meeting, organized by Pakistan's Mission to the UN, began with offering “fateha” and observing a moment of silence for the victims of the attack.
Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi expressed the resolve of the Government and people of Pakistan to continue its fight against all forms of terrorism. "My country is united in its grief and also in our determination to defeat the dark forces of terrorism”.
Referring to the presence of Congresswoman and a number of messages she has received from representatives of the international community at the UN, Ambassador Lodhi appreciated the expressions of solidarity from the international community. “We are together in this fight against terrorism and we feel each other’s pain as we belong to one human family”, she said.
Terming Pakistanis as a ‘resilient nation’, she said, “We have always bounced back”. The people of Pakistan have always been brave, she said, and they will never waver or be deterred in the face of challenges.
Ambassador Lodhi told the largely attended condolence meeting about the ongoing military operation in the Tribal Areas, which is the world’s largest anti-terrorism operation. “The terrorists are on the run especially after Pakistani ground forces entered the Shawal valley”, she said and added that the terrorists are feeling the heat and are attacking soft targets like schools and parks. She also mentioned the intensifying intelligence-led operation against militants in Punjab province.
The terrorists, she said, have no religion and they don’t discriminate when they attack innocent people.
She recalled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address to the nation in which he expressed the Government’s determination to not allow anyone to disrupt the peace of the country that has been achieved after a long time.
Congresswomen Maloney in her address said that her thoughts and prayers were with the people of Pakistan and wished a speedy recovery, in both body and mind, to the innocent victims and their families targeted at the park.
“Over the past week we have witnessed two devastating terror attacks, first in Brussels and now in Lahore,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “But we are here today as a community to say we will not let the terrorists win—a sentiment echoed across the globe as we hold candlelight vigils to honor the victims”.
These attacks, she said, are meant to demoralize us and drive us apart. “That will not happen. Our response must be to come together, and with one voice say we denounce those who attempt to spread terror across the globe”.
“We will continue to work with our neighbors worldwide so that all people can live without fear regardless of their race, religion or nationality”, she concluded.