PM for stepped up efforts to cope with global challenges

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq has stressed the need for a concerted effort to cope with the global challenges.

Addressing the United Nations session, the prime minister outlined Pakistan’s perspective on a range of regional and global issues of concern.

He shed light on climate change impact, Middle East conflicts, the Ukraine war, Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir and other such issues. He reiterated Islamabad’s resolve to play a part in the cause. He pointed out the problems being faced by Pakistan because of global warming.

Pakistan is at the receiving end, he said adding that floods left a trail of devastation in Pakistan. He laid stress on a solution to the longstanding issue of Kashmir, saying that Pakistan wants better ties with all of its neighbours and the Kashmir issue must be solved as per the aspirations of the Kashmiris and the United Nations resolutions.

On August 5, 2019, India took an illegal and unconstitutional step of depriving the Indian-held valley of its special status, resulting in hate-mongering, extremism and opening another chapter of barbarism and state-sponsored terrorism

Pakistan has always backed global efforts to bring peace and normality to the Middle East, the premier said. He elaborated on the significant measures being taken by the caretaker government to consolidate Pakistan’s economic recovery and efforts to mobilise domestic and external investment.

He called upon the UN Security Council (UNSC) to ensure the implementation of its resolutions on Kashmir as it is the key to peace between Pakistan and India.

He added India has evaded implementation of the Security Council’s resolutions which call for the ‘final disposition’ of Jammu and Kashmir to be decided by its people through a UN-supervised plebiscite.

He continued: “Development depends on peace. Pakistan desires peaceful and productive relations with all our neighbours, including India. Since August 5, 2019, India, with 900,000 troops in occupied Kashmir, imposed extended lockdowns and curfews; jailed all the genuine Kashmir leaders; violently suppressed peaceful protests; resorted to extra-judicial killings of innocent Kashmiris in fake encounters and so-called cordon and search operations, and imposed collective punishments, destroying entire villages.

 “Access to occupied Kashmir, demanded by the UN High Commission for Human Rights and over a dozen Special Rapporteurs, has been denied by New Delhi.

He called for the reinforcement of the UN Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), stressing that global powers should convince New Delhi to accept Pakistan’s offer of mutual restraint on strategic and conventional weapons.

Pakistan, he said, shared the concerns of the international community with respect to Afghanistan, its first priority being to prevent and counter all terrorism from and within that neighbouring country.

 “We advocate continued humanitarian assistance to a destitute Afghan population in which Afghan girls and women are the most vulnerable; as well as revival of the Afghan economy and implementation of the connectivity projects with Central Asia.

“Pakistan condemns the cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan by the TTP, Da’esh and other groups operating from Afghanistan.

 “We have sought Kabul’s support and cooperation to prevent these attacks. However, we are also taking necessary measures to end this externally encouraged terrorism.

About economic reforms, the premier said  Pakistan’s government was committed to rapid economic recovery, stabilising its foreign exchange reserves and currency; expanding domestic revenues and mobilising significant domestic and external investment.

Pakistan had established a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to expedite investment decisions, with 28 projects identified in priority sectors – agriculture, mining, energy and IT

The second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, had been initiated covering railway, infrastructure and manufacturing projects.

He noted the far-reaching commitments made at the SDG summit to implement the 17 anti-poverty goals and he called for the ensuing implementation of the “SDG Stimulus”; the re-channelling of unused Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) for development; the expansion of concessional lending by the multilateral development banks; and the resolution of the debt problems of the 59 countries in debt distress.

Pakistan, he added, also looked forward to the fulfilment of the climate change commitments made at COP28 by the developed world: to provide over $100 billion in annual climate finance; allocate at least half of such finance for adaptation in developing countries; operationalize the Fund and funding arrangements for Loss and Damage; and accelerate their carbon emission mitigation targets to keep alive the goal of restricting global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade.

Pointing out that Pakistan is one of the countries worst affected by climate change, the prime minister said that the epic last summer’s floods submerged a third of the country, killed 1700 and displaced over 8 million people, destroyed vital infrastructure and caused over $30 billion in damage to its economy.

 “I hope our development partners will accord priority to the release of funds for our ‘resilient’ recovery plan which has been costed at $13 billion.”

The prime minister welcomed the normalization of Saudi-Iranian ties, but expressed dismay over the continuing tragedy of Palestine, with Israeli military raids, airstrikes, expansion of settlements and evictions of Palestinians.

 “Durable peace can be established only through a two-state solution and the establishment of a viable and contiguous Palestinian State within the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”

He called for countering all terrorists without discrimination, including the rising threat posed by far-right extremist and fascist groups, such as Hindutva-inspired extremists threatening genocide against India’s Muslims and Christians.

“We also need to oppose ‘state terrorism’; address the root causes of terrorism, such as poverty, injustice and foreign occupation; and distinguish genuine freedom struggles from terrorism.

“Make no mistake. It is a latent threat that undermines millennia of progress. We need to cherish and celebrate our diversity and different ways of life. Mutual respect, and sanctity of religious symbols, scriptures and personages should be ensured.”

 “While Islamophobia is an age-old phenomenon; however, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it has assumed epidemic proportions, as manifested in the negative profiling of Muslims; and attacks on Islamic sites and symbols, such as the recent public burnings of the Holy Quran.”

On UNSC reform, PM Kakar said Pakistan did not believe in elitism within the comity of nations. Pakistan, he said, believed that adding additional permanent members — India is one of the aspirants — to the Security Council would further erode its credibility and legitimacy. “The widest possible agreement can be best achieved on the basis of the Uniting for Consensus Group’s proposal for expansion of the Council only in the non-permanent category with provision for a limited number of longer-term seats,” he said.