Pakistan is furious on being blocked by India the second time in two weeks from speaking at the UNSC on Afghanistan. India currently holds the rotating presidency of UNSC. Munir Akram, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN, in a visibly upset tone told the International media that India’s manner of using its presidency of UNSC “..confirms Pakistan’s long-held contention that India does not deserve to be a member of the Security Council…”
Pakistan has denounced India which as President of the United Nations Security Council, again blocked it from participating in the 15-member Council’s meeting held to ponder over latest situation in Afghanistan@PakistanUN_NY https://t.co/EggFXCtwv6
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) August 17, 2021
Pakistan’s Foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi also condemned India for its behaviour at the United Nations Security Council where an important debate was taking place on the future of Afghanistan. UNSC members have demanded that those who now control Afghanistan are responsible to ensure that country’s soil is not used for terrorism against any other country.
Pakistan’s foreign minister and Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN both asserted that Pakistan has a vital stake in peace and stability of the war-torn country where the Taliban have now taken control of the government.
Pakistan questioned the legitimacy of of Afghan Ambassador Ghulam Isaczai
“It is most regrettable that Pakistan’s request to participate in the Security Council meeting was once again blocked by the Indian Presidency,” Ambassador Munir Akram told reporters after the conclusion of the council meeting, while also questioning the move to give the floor to Ambassador Ghulam Isaczai, representative of Afghanistan’s defunct regime of Ashraf Ghani who has fled the country.
Pakistan's ambassador to UN said the Security Council has been denied an "important perspective and vital input that could be helpful in restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region"https://t.co/6qlGvQjIvG
— Shehzad Younis شہزاد یونس (@shehzadyounis) August 16, 2021
The Security Council, he said, has been denied an “important perspective and vital input that could be helpful in restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region,” he said, noting that Pakistan was also blocked from participating in the Council meeting on Afghanistan on August 6, as well.
“India’s partisan and obstructionist actions a manifestation of its hatred for Pakistan and its pique that its plan to continue the conflict in Afghanistan and thus continue to sponsor terrorism against Pakistan from Afghanistan’s territory is likely to be neutralized once peace is restored throughout Afghanistan.”
Read more: India excludes Pakistan from UNSC meeting on Afghanistan
Pakistan, he said, was not surprised by India’s anti-Pakistan partisanship, saying, “This confirms Pakistan’s long-held contention that India does not deserve to be a member of the Security Council, much less to aspire for peaceful relationship of this body whose resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir it has defied and violated for decades and where its 900,000 occupation Army is committing massacre and human rights violations with impunity.”
India’s partisan & obstructionist actions are a manifestation of its hatred for Pakistan. While blocking Pakistan & other neighbors from addressing the Council,the representative of a now defunct regime of 🇦🇫 was invited to speak.There was considerable pathos in this spectacle. pic.twitter.com/2VGI1SAo5c
— Munir Akram, PR of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanPR_UN) August 16, 2021
While blocking Pakistan and other neighbours of Afghanistan from addressing the Council, Ambassador Akram said there was “considerable pathos” in the move to invite the representative of a now ousted regime of Afghanistan to speak to the Council.
“Ambassador (Ghulam) Isaczai is an esteemed colleague; but the person who appointed him here recently, has fled Afghanistan to the calls of betrayal by some of his Ministers and Army Chief, the Pakistani envoy said.
“It is unclear, therefore, on whose behalf Ambassador Isaczai was speaking today,” he said, adding, “The assertions he advanced reflected the talking points of the ancient regime or his own personal views. They are not representative of the evolved realities in Afghanistan.”
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Afghan Delegation of Non-Taliban leadership in Islamabad
Ambassador Munir Akram said, “If invited to speak, Pakistan would have told the Security Council of its continuing efforts to ensure a peaceful settlement and formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan”
Pointing out that a delegation of several important Afghan leaders, led by the Speaker of the Loya Jirga, have met in Islamabad with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other Pakistani officials, Ambassador Akram said, “They have agreed to engage with the Taliban to evolve an inclusive Afghan government.
“We will work with them and the Taliban representatives to advance this objective – which is an important question for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
Pakistan, he said, would have also informed the Council of the efforts Islamabad was making to facilitate the safe evacuation of diplomats, representatives of international organizations and others from Afghanistan, noting that Pakistan’s foreign secretary had briefed the diplomatic corps in Islamabad today that the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul will continue to facilitate visas for diplomats and international personnel.
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Wherever needed, the Pakistan envoy added, arrangements will be made for issuing visas on arrival and a Facilitation Centre has been set up to ensure the expeditious processing of visas to ensure smooth and timely evacuation from Kabul.
He told reporters that Pakistan had facilitated the evacuation of the Danish Embassy personnel, including its 421 Afghan employees.
Ambassador Akram said Pakistan has called on the Afghan Parties, including the Taliban to ensure the preservation of law and order in Kabul and elsewhere.
“Our immediate priority should be aimed at maintenance of law and order; ensuring the safety and security of all Afghan civilians, especially women and children,” he said, stressing that fundamental human rights must be upheld, especially the right to education for all civilian property and infrastructure must be protected.
“There must be complete respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. We support the statement of the (UN) Secretary General in this regard.
“The safety and security of the diplomatic community and premises, as well as United Nations personnel, humanitarian workers, and other international staff is paramount,” the Pakistani envoy added.
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Pakistan also called for urgently addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. UNAMA (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan), he said, should make an evaluation of the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people, and urged the UN Secretary-General to report as soon as possible on the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.
“We call on all Afghan parties to ensure unhindered access to humanitarian aid across Afghanistan as well as to ensure the safety and security of the UN personnel and humanitarian workers.”
Apart from these immediate actions, Ambassador Akram said the international community should look ahead to other steps designed to promote durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“The infrastructure destroyed in this long conflict needs to be reconstructed; including the transport infrastructure which can enable Afghanistan to serve as a hub for regional trade and commerce,” he said.
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“The international community also needs to engage with the new authorities in Afghanistan to eliminate the threat posed by the terrorist organizations which have used Afghanistan’s territory with the sponsorship of the intelligence agencies of certain countries, for attacks and sabotage against Afghanistan’s neighbours – ISIL-K (Daesh), TTP, JuA, RTIM, IMU,” Ambassador Akram said.
“Pakistan will work actively to realize this vital objective.”
Courtesy: APP with additional input from GVS International Desk