Foreign Minister Denounces Rights Abuses in Indian-Administered Kashmir
Pakistan marked the 76th United Nations Day on Sunday by reiterating its demand for the international community to enforce relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute. In a statement, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi condemned what he described as the systematic suppression of fundamental rights in the region.
“It is deplorable that these universal ideals still continue to be defied with impunity across many parts of the world – nowhere more egregiously than in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” Qureshi said.
The foreign minister asserted that the people of IIOJK are engaged in a just struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination, a right guaranteed by multiple UN Security Council resolutions. He accused the occupying power of using brutal force to crush this movement.
Pakistan Reaffirms Commitment to UN Charter
Qureshi emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to collaborate with other UN member states in pursuing the noble enshrined the UN Charter to achieve global peace, progress, and prosperity. He described the United Nations as “the most representative inter-governmental organisation” and uniquely positioned to address common challenges facing humanity.
These challenges, he noted, include the triple threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting economic crisis, and the dangers posed by change. The foreign minister highlighted that Pakistan, guided by the vision of its founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, has consistently upheld the principles of the UN Charter.
Pakistan’s Role in Global and Multilateralism
Qureshi detailed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to multilateralism, with the UN playing a central role in promoting international peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights. He pointed to Pakistan’s record as a top troop-contributing country to UN peacekeeping operations since 1960 and its hosting of one of the oldest peacekeeping missions, UNMOGIP.
The foreign minister also highlighted Pakistan’s decades-long hosting of millions of refugees and its support for just causes worldwide. He noted Pakistan’s recent role in facilitating the evacuation and relocation of diplomatic missions and international organizations, including UN agencies, from Afghanistan, as well as its continued support for the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the Afghan people.
Pakistan Armed Forces Extend UN Day Greetings
The Pakistan Armed Forces also extended their best wishes to the United Nations its 76 anniversary. In a statement, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said Pakistan Army has a distinguished history of serving humanity for peace.
“The sacrifices by our men bear testimony to our unwavering resolve for global peace in line with our Founding Father’s vision,” Bajwa stated.
