YouSaid · the spoken record

Muhammad Nawaz Sharif

lines on the record: 66
first: 2013-09-24
most recent: 2016-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We can achieve those goals and create a new and peaceful world order, solely through the United Nations and with strict adherence to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“A comprehensive and democratic reform of the Security Council, which Pakistan supports, should enhance its relevance and representation. Creating new centres of privilege will do the opposite. Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the United Nations is well established. We have played a pioneering and consistent role in United Nations peacekeeping. Despite our own security requirements, we will remain one of the world’s largest troop-contributing countries and maintain our record of success in multiple United Nations peacekeeping operations. Pakistan has a vital stake in ending conflicts, fostering peace, fighting terrorism, strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, generating global growth and overcoming the challenges of environmental degradation.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We have adopted a comprehensive export control regime that is fully consistent with international standards. Judged on the basis of objective criteria and without discrimination, Pakistan is fully eligible for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. In our turbulent and interdependent world, the United Nations remains an indispensable organization in terms of restoring order and ensuring global peace, stability and prosperity. Its principles remain the crucial pillars of international legality, the guide for the conduct of Member States and the guarantor of the legitimate rights of all nations and peoples. The United Nations must regain its credibility as the central instrument for the promotion of peace, prosperity and liberty. To that end, it should become more representative, transparent and accountable.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We are open to discussing all measures of restraint and responsibility with India in any forum or format and without any conditions. We are ready for talks to agree on a bilateral nuclear test ban treaty. Today, from this rostrum, I would also like to reiterate our offer to India to enter into a serious and sustained dialogue for the peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, especially Jammu and Kashmir. As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, Pakistan will continue to cooperate with all international efforts that seek to promote fair and equitable solutions to disarmament and non-proliferation challenges. We have introduced state-of-the-art measures to strengthen the safety and security of our nuclear materials and facilities.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We will also open consultations with members of the Security Council to explore the modalities for the implementation of the relevant Council resolutions on Kashmir. The international community ignores the danger of rising tensions in South Asia at its own peril. For its part, Pakistan is committed to the establishment of strategic stability in the region. It neither wants nor is engaged in an arms race with India. But we cannot ignore our neighbour’s unprecedented arms build-up, and we will take whatever measures are necessary to maintain credible deterrence. We have consistently urged the conclusion of bilateral arms control and disarmament measures between Pakistan and India to prevent conflict and avoid wasteful military expenditures.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The Security Council has called for the exercise of the right to self-determination by the people of Jammu and Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite, held under United Nations auspices. The people of Kashmir have waited 70 years for the implementation of that promise. The Security Council must honour its commitments by implementing its own decisions. The General Assembly must demand that India deliver on the commitments its leaders solemnly made on many occasions. To that end, steps should be taken by the United Nations to demilitarize Jammu and Kashmir and undertake consultations with India, Pakistan and the true representatives of the Kashmiri people to implement the resolutions of the Security Council. In that context, we welcome the offer of his good offices by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“On behalf of the Kashmiri people; on behalf of the mothers and fathers of the innocent Kashmiri children; on behalf of women and men who have been killed, blinded and injured; on behalf of the Pakistani nation, I demand an independent inquiry into the extrajudicial killings and a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate brutalities perpetrated by the Indian occupying forces so that those guilty of such atrocities are punished. We demand the immediate release of all Kashmiri political prisoners, an end to the curfew, freedom for the Kashmiris to demonstrate peacefully, urgent medical help for the injured and abrogation of India’s draconian laws.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“From Srinagar to Sopore, the men, women and children come out each day, defying a curfew, to demand freedom. Pakistan fully supports the demand of the Kashmiri people for self-determination, as several Security Council resolutions have promised them. Their struggle is a legitimate one for liberation from alien occupation. International law and the declarations of the United Nations on self-determination give them the right to struggle for their freedom. Every year, the General Assembly unanimously adopts a resolution that reaffirms the right of all peoples to self-determination and calls on the States concerned to immediately end their occupation and all acts of repression.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“As usual, the indigenous Kashmiri uprising has been met with brutal repression by India’s occupation force of more than half a million soldiers. More than a hundred Kashmiris have been killed; hundreds, including children and infants, have been blinded by shotgun pellets; and more than 6,000 unarmed civilians have been injured over the past two months. The Indian brutalities are well documented. I would like to inform the General Assembly that Pakistan will share with the Secretary-General a dossier containing detailed information and evidence of the gross and systematic violations of human rights committed by Indian forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The brutalities will not suppress the Kashmiris’ spirits; they will only intensify their anger and fortify their determination to see India end its occupation of Kashmir.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“They are essential to resolving our differences, especially in the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and to averting the danger of any escalation. Peace and normalization between Pakistan and India cannot be achieved without a resolution of the Kashmir dispute. That is an objective evaluation, not a partisan position. Our predictions have now been confirmed by events. A new generation of Kashmiris has risen spontaneously against India, demanding freedom from its illegal occupation. The young leader Burhan Wani, murdered by Indian forces, has emerged as a symbol of the latest Kashmiri intifada, a popular and peaceful freedom movement led by Kashmiris young and old, men and women, armed only with undying faith in the legitimacy of their cause and a hunger for freedom in their hearts.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“More than three and a half decades of conflict and chaos in Afghanistan have had grave security and economic consequences for Pakistan. Almost 3 million Afghan refugees, to whom we have opened our homes and hearts, remain in Pakistan. We hope to see them return home voluntarily and with dignity. Until they do, the international community must shoulder its responsibility for helping to sustain them. Confrontation should not be our destiny in South Asia. Pakistan wants peace with India and we have gone the extra mile to achieve it, repeatedly offering to hold a dialogue to address all outstanding issues. But India has posed unacceptable preconditions for engaging in dialogue. Let us be clear that talks are not some special favour for Pakistan. They are in the interest of both countries.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Pakistan has long proposed this as the most viable way to end the decades of conflict and suffering in Afghanistan. Based on that belief in a negotiated peace, and in response to requests from President Ashraf Ghani, we have been facilitating the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan. There have been setbacks, but they are not a sufficient reason to abandon the path of peace and rely on the military option, which for the past decade and a half has failed to stabilize Afghanistan. Progress will be assured only when the Afghan parties themselves conclude that there is no military solution to the war and begin to work assiduously, through a meaningful dialogue process, to achieve reconciliation and peace at home.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Such efforts should be approached collectively, not through the unilateral enactment of laws with extraterritorial provisions that target certain countries. We will not win the fight against terrorism and violent extremism if we do not address their root causes. They lie in poverty and ignorance, political and social injustice and oppression, foreign intervention and occupation and denial of the legitimate rights of peoples and nations, especially the right to self-determination. Until those underlying causes are addressed, it will be difficult to counter the twisted narrative of violent extremists and terrorists. After 15 years of the current war in Afghanistan, the international community agrees that the only road to a lasting peace in that country is through a dialogue between the Government in Kabul and the Afghan Taliban.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“That has only reinforced our resolve to eliminate the scourge of terrorism. Our comprehensive strategy of law enforcement and targeted military operations has produced remarkable results and enabled Pakistan to turn the tide against terrorists. Our Zarb-e-Azb operation is the largest, most robust and most successful anti-terrorism campaign anywhere in the world, deploying 200,000 of our security forces. Our comprehensive national action plan is fully endorsed by our people and our Parliament as well as by our security forces, all of whom have made heroic sacrifices to defeat terrorism. Terrorism, however, is now a global phenomenon that must be addressed comprehensively and in all its forms, including State terrorism. The international community must coordinate its efforts if we are to accomplish that.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Yet despite the adverse international economic environment, in the past three years my Government has moved the country towards robust growth. We have fully integrated the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into our own economic and social strategy, based on our conviction that people are the true wealth of our nation and that human development will determine our future destiny. Our priority goal of economic development requires internal peace and stability. My country has been the principal victim of terrorism in our world, including terrorism supported, sponsored and financed from abroad. We will not allow externally sponsored terrorism and threats of destabilization to cause turbulence in Pakistan. Tens of thousands of our citizens and thousands of our security personnel have been killed or injured in terrorist attacks.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“This can pose serious threats to peace across Asia. A new cold war threatens to engulf Europe, where the momentum towards greater union has already been reversed. Barricades and walls are going up, especially against the tide of misery flowing out of a turbulent Middle East. In many countries, intolerance has revived the ghosts of xenophobia and Islamophobia. Turmoil is intensifying in the Middle East. International efforts to defeat Da’esh are therefore urgent. For this, it is essential to reconcile the divergent objectives and priorities of regional and external Powers. Peace cannot be built when injustice prevails. The long- festering tragedy of Palestine demands determined action on the part of the international community. After decades of strong growth, the world economy has reached a plateau.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We congratulate Mr. Peter Thomson on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session. We agree that the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should be the focus of the session. We also pay tribute to Mr. Lykketoft for his able stewardship of the seventieth session. Today, three decades after the end of the Cold War, our multipolar world is more free and vibrant, yet still chaotic and turbulent; more interdependent, but more unequal; more prosperous, yet still afflicted by poverty. We see spectacular progress, but also unprecedented human suffering. The world is at a historic inflection point. The international order established after the Second World War is passing away, but a new order has yet to emerge. Competition between the major Powers is becoming more confrontational.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We have maintained the highest standards of nuclear security and established an effective regime to ensure the safety and security of our nuclear facilities and stocks. South Asia needs strategic stability and this requires serious dialogue to achieve nuclear restraint, conventional balance and conflict resolution. Finally, we look forward to playing our part to build a brighter era of peace and prosperity in South Asia. We owe it to our people and to succeeding generations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That is a central element of the Charter of the United Nations. Thirdly, steps must be taken to demilitarize Kashmir. Fourthly, both countries should agree to an unconditional mutual withdrawal from the Siachen glacier, the world’s highest battleground. Easing threat perceptions through such peace efforts will enable Pakistan and India to agree on a broad range of measures to address the peril posed by offensive and advanced weapons systems. Pakistan neither wants, nor is engaged in, an arms race in South Asia. However, we cannot remain oblivious to the evolving security dynamics and arms build-up in our region, which obliges us to take essential steps to maintain our security. As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, Pakistan will continue to support the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Wisdom dictates that our immediate neighbour should refrain from fomenting instability in Pakistan. The two countries should address and resolve the causes of tension and take all possible measures to avert further escalation. That is why I wish to take this opportunity to propose a new peace initiative with India, starting with measures that are the simplest to implement. First, we propose that Pakistan and India formalize and respect the 2003 understanding for a complete ceasefire on the Line of Control in Kashmir. To that end, we call for the expansion of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan in order to monitor observance of the ceasefire. Secondly, we propose that Pakistan and India reaffirm that they will not resort to the use or the threat of the use of force under any circumstances.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Since 1947, the Kashmir dispute has remained unresolved. Relevant Security Council resolutions have remained unimplemented. Three generations of Kashmiris have known only broken promises and brutal oppression. Over 100,000 have died in their struggle for self-determination. That is the most persistent failure of the United Nations. When I assumed office as the Prime Minister of Pakistan in June 2013 for the third time, one of my first priorities was to normalize relations with India. I reached out to the Indian leadership to emphasize that our common enemy was poverty and underdevelopment. Cooperation, not confrontation, should define our relationship. Yet today, ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the working boundary are intensifying, causing the deaths of civilians, including women and children.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The history of South Asia is one of missed opportunities. Among its dire consequences is the persistence of poverty and deprivation in our region. Development is my Government’s first priority and has underpinned my policy to build a peaceful neighbourhood. Our peoples need peace to prosper. Peace can be achieved through dialogue, not disengagement. 40/54 15-29562 30/09/2015 A/70/PV.19 In 1997, when the composite dialogue was launched with India, our two countries agreed that it would encompass two principal items — Kashmir and peace and security — along with six other issues, including terrorism. The primacy and urgency of addressing those two issues is even more compelling today. Consultations with Kashmiris, who are an integral part of the dispute, are essential to evolving a peaceful solution.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We are encouraged that the international community, including the major Powers, desires the continuation of the peace process in Afghanistan. Pakistan greatly appreciates China’s proactive role in promoting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and in our region. We welcome China’s vision of “One Belt, One Road”. The China-Pakistan economic corridor announced during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan earlier this year will spur regional economic integration and bring prosperity to the entire region and beyond. That is an inspiring model of South-South cooperation that should be emulated. We also welcome Russia’s greater focus on Asian cooperation. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which Pakistan will be joining this year as a full member, holds great promise for promoting regional connectivity.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In response to a request from the Afghan Government, and with the support of the international community, Pakistan has made strenuous efforts to facilitate the process of Afghan reconciliation. Indeed, dialogue was opened between the Afghan Government and the Taliban, which was an unprecedented first. Unfortunately, certain developments stalled the process. Thereafter, militant attacks intensified, which we unequivocally condemn. Pakistan will persist in its endeavour to help restart the dialogue process and to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan. However, we can do so only if we receive the requisite cooperation of the Afghan Government. Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are in neither country’s interest.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We look forward to welcoming Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations. Muslims are suffering across the world. Palestinians and Kashmiris are oppressed by foreign occupation; minorities are persecuted; and there is discrimination against Muslim refugees fleeing persecution or war. The international community must redress those injustices against the Muslim people. We welcome the comprehensive nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1, which shows what diplomatic engagement and multilateralism can achieve, and augurs well for the peace and security of our region and beyond. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan underwent a positive transformation after the establishment of the National Unity Government in Kabul.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Unfortunately, some seek to use the global campaign against terrorism to suppress the legitimate right of occupied peoples to self-determination. The rise and spread of terrorism across the Middle East today poses unprecedented security challenges. Wracked by violence, ethnic and sectarian conflicts and the rise of Daesh, several countries of the region are today a vortex of conflict and instability. Others are being sucked into the quagmire. The tragedy of Palestine has intensified. The accepted avenue for peace between Palestine and Israel, a two-State solution, appears further away today than ever before, due to the intransigent stance of the occupying Power. Yet, as I speak, the proud Palestinian flag is being raised just outside this Hall. We hope that that is just the first step.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It has made substantial progress in cleansing our country of all terrorists and will conclude only when our objective has been accomplished. The operation is complemented by an all-inclusive national action plan that encompasses police and security actions, political and legal measures, and social and economic policy packages aimed at countering violent extremism. The global threat of terrorism cannot be defeated unless we address its underlying causes. Poverty and ignorance are part of the problem. Extremist ideologies must be opposed. But the narrative of the terrorists must also be countered through the just resolution of the several instances of oppression and injustice against Muslims in various parts of the world.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Pakistan is proud of its historic and current role as a major troop-contributor. We regard 15-29562 39/54 A/70/PV.19 30/09/2015 it as our obligation to uphold international peace and security. Pakistan is the primary victim of terrorism. We have lost thousands of lives, including those of civilians and soldiers, to terrorist violence. The blood that has been shed, including that of our innocent children, has reinforced our resolve to eliminate that scourge from our society. We will fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, irrespective of its sponsors. Our Operation Zarb-e-Azb is the largest anti-terrorism campaign against terrorists anywhere, involving over 180,000 members of our security forces.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Partisan interests must not stand in the way of an ambitious and collective commitment to halting and reversing the damage done to our planet. On the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, we should strive to adapt the global Organization to respond effectively to the current and emerging challenges that confront us all. Pakistan supports the comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including of the Security Council. We need a Security Council that is more democratic, representative, accountable and transparent — a Council that reflects the interests of all Member States, in accordance with the principle of sovereign equality, not an expanded club of the powerful and privileged. Peacekeeping has been one of the key responsibilities of the United Nations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“At the historic Summit held over the weekend, we collectively committed ourselves to achieving 17 Sustainable Development Goals with a view to promoting equitable and inclusive development for all our peoples. The real challenge remains to mobilize the collective political will and resources to ensure the comprehensive implementation of the Agenda we have solemnly endorsed. Pakistan has already initiated action on national goals to promote the post- 2015 development agenda. We are also creating a robust mechanism for the monitoring and implementation of these Goals and targets. Later this year, in Paris, we will need to respond with common but differentiated responsibilities to the threat posed by climate change.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“But we, the peoples of the United Nations, have not succeeded in beating arms into ploughshares or promoting universal prosperity and larger freedoms. Confrontation between major Powers has returned at a time when many parts of the world are in turmoil. Terrorism is spreading. Poverty and deprivation have yet to be overcome. Gross violations of human rights are rampant. We are witnessing human dislocation, with refugees and forced migrants on a scale not witnessed for over half a century. Our very existence is threatened by the wanton damage done to our planet’s life-sustaining systems. Yet this is also a moment of opportunity. Today, our interdependent world possesses the financial, scientific and organizational capabilities to address the diverse and interrelated challenges that pose a common threat to all Member States.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We congratulate Mr. Mogens Lykketoft on his election as President of the General Assembly at its the seventieth session. It acknowledges his distinguished career in public service. We share his commitment to building a more just and stable world. We also pay tribute to Mr. Sam Kutesa for his able stewardship of the sixty-ninth session. Seventy years ago, the United Nations was created from the ruins of the most devastating war the world has ever witnessed. Its purpose was to build universal peace and prosperity on the basis of equitable principles, cooperation and collective action. Despite the constraints of the Cold War, the United Nations served the international community as a beacon of hope, a repository of freedom, an advocate of the oppressed and a vehicle for development and progress.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Never before has the United Nations embraced such lofty goals to banish poverty, stimulate development, protect the environment and foster peace, as it will during this session. The future of our planet hinges on our decisions. Let us deliver them with full responsibility and wisdom. Pakistan will assist the Assembly and the United Nations as a whole to make the world a better place for all humankind.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Pakistan ought to be a part of those export-control regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Pakistan also qualifies for full access to civil nuclear technology to overcome its energy shortages and spur economic growth. The ongoing reform of the United Nations must be comprehensive. We support a reform of the Security Council that reflects the interests of all Member States — small, medium-sized and large — and not the ambitions of a few. There should be no new permanent seats in the Council. That would be contrary to the democratic character of this world body. We want the Council to become more representative, equitable, accountable and transparent. We meet here today on the cusp of a new era for the international community.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“I would like to reiterate the need for an interlinked mechanism for pursuing nuclear restraint, conventional equilibrium and conflict resolution. To promote stability, we are prepared to explore new confidence-building measures. Pakistan has maintained the highest standards of nuclear safety and security. At the last summit at The Hague that I attended, Pakistan’s recent nuclear measures, especially the establishment of a centre of excellence, were appreciated. Pakistan is a State with advanced nuclear technology and more than 40 years of experience. Pakistan is a mainstream partner in the international non-proliferation regime. Pakistan also has a stringent national export-control system that is fully harmonized with international export-control regimes. Though a non-member, we are abiding by their guidelines.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Inspired by that ideal, Pakistan has maintained high levels of participation in United Nations peacekeeping and has become the largest troop-contributing country. We are contributing more than 1,100 troops to the Central African Republic operation, despite the dire situation there. As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, we will continue to support the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and pursue a policy of nuclear restraint and credible minimum deterrence. Pakistan is not participating in any arms race in the region. Yet we cannot be oblivious to the emerging security scenarios and buildup of armaments. We, too, have the obligation to maintain a robust and reliable deterrence.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Our economy has also lost hundreds of billions of dollars in direct costs and denied investment opportunities. Yet in that fight, each time a soldier falls, another takes his place — proudly. It is the resolve of our nation to fight this scourge to the finish. At the same time, we have made a plan of action for the relief and rehabilitation of nearly 1 million internally dislocated persons. That includes a strategy to prevent the return and resurgence of militancy and to create a safe environment for local people. Pakistan’s strong commitment to peacekeeping is rooted in our foreign policy and in our belief that every nation should contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We call on all parties in Syria to renounce military and militant means and to hold dialogue to restore peace and stability in their historic land. The emergence of new militant entities in the Middle East once again illustrates that terrorism is a global threat. This primitive force in Iraq and Syria is an aberration, which has the sanction of no religion. It must be countered with unified and resolute will. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We are fighting the terrorism that has been planted on Pakistan’s soil. Our valiant soldiers are laying down their lives to take out terrorists and tear down their evil networks. The entire nation is behind them. In the past 13 years, as a front-line State, we have made enormous sacrifices in blood and resources. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed or injured.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Complementary counter-terrorism measures on the Afghan side of the border are essential to achieve optimal results. This past summer, the people of Gaza were subjected to mass atrocities by Israel. We condemned the indiscriminate killings of civilians — which amounted to genocide. From this rostrum, I once again convey Pakistan’s condolences and sympathies to the people of Palestine over their continuing plight. We welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel, but the next steps must also be taken. The blockade of Gaza must be lifted, Palestinian prisoners must be freed and illegal settlements must be halted. The United Nations should facilitate a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, based on the relevant United Nations resolutions.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is our earnest hope that those landmark processes will culminate in the emergence of a stronger, more stable and unified Afghanistan. We also hope that the process of inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation will move forward, thereby contributing to greater harmony, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. Pakistan remains committed to forging a deeper bilateral relationship with Afghanistan on the basis of equal security and shared prosperity. Our two nations confront common challenges, which call for greater cooperation and understanding. In the past year and a half, we have consciously reached out to Afghanistan to address difficult issues and build on convergences. We have made headway in that effort. Pakistan has launched a massive operation to eliminate terrorism.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We cannot draw a veil on the issue of Kashmir, until it is addressed in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is ready to work for a resolution of the issue through negotiations. Our support and advocacy for the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is our historic commitment and a duty as a party to the Kashmir dispute. Afghanistan is going through momentous security, political and economic transitions. As always, Pakistan stands in solidarity with the fraternal Afghan people. I congratulate the people of Afghanistan on the successful completion of the electoral process. We extend our warm felicitations and good wishes to the new Afghan leadership.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Pakistan is convinced that we must remain engaged in the dialogue process for settling disputes and building economic and trade relations. Let us not ignore the dividends of peace. More than six decades ago, the United Nations adopted resolutions to hold a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are still waiting for the fulfilment of that promise. Many generations of Kashmiris have lived their lives under occupation, accompanied by violence and abuse of their fundamental rights. Kashmiri women in particular have suffered immensely. For decades, attempts have been made, both under United Nations auspices and bilaterally in the spirit of the Lahore Declaration, to resolve the dispute. The core issue of Jammu and Kashmir has to be resolved. It is the responsibility of the international community.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is my Government’s aspiration and endeavour to build a peaceful neighbourhood by pursuing a policy of constructive engagement. In South Asia, our people have missed opportunities for prosperity because of unresolved conflicts. We have a choice today: continue with the status quo or seize the moment to resolve all outstanding issues and free up our shared energies for cooperation. To take this course of high statesmanship, we need more, not less, dialogue and diplomacy. We need to respect each other’s rights and sensibilities. We must have relationships based on equality, mutual respect and transparency. We were disappointed at the cancellation of the Foreign Secretary-level talks by India. The world community, too, rightly saw it as another missed opportunity.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In the coming decade, we will develop human and social capital through investment in education, health and gender parity; stimulate sustained economic growth; prioritize energy, water and food security; modernize the public sector and encourage private-sector-led entrepreneurship. We have determined that regional peace and security, political stability in the country, the rule of law and social justice are absolutely crucial for the realization of those goals. Above all, we will continue to work for the promotion and protection of human rights. Energy is key to economic development. Pakistan co-chairs the Group of Friends of the Secretary- General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. The objectives of the initiative are also our national goals.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Only then will we be able to ensure healthy lives, empower women and girls, improve the quality of education, create jobs and guarantee the supply of affordable energy. The time is ripe for such ambition and action. The sustainable development goals crafted so far must be woven into an overarching framework. We must prioritize them. First things should come first. Peace, stability and inclusive economic growth — all come first. At the national level, we have launched our Vision 2025, which puts people first. It is inspired by our Founding Father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, whose vision of a welfare State is based on the principles of justice, equity and responsibility.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The monsoon floods in Pakistan have had a devastating impact. We are mobilizing all our resources and ingenuity to provide relief and to ensure recovery. The international community should intensify its efforts to move from awareness to commitments to actions on climate change, which is wreaking havoc with economies, particularly in developing countries. This is a defining moment for the United Nations as it embarks upon the task of transforming the lives of billions of people by investing in sustainable development in the next 15 years. We are setting ourselves the vital target of eradicating poverty by 2030. To do that, we need to go beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We need a new approach to eliminate conflict and violence and reduce inequality within and among nations.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“I congratulate Mr. Sam Kutesa on his election as the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I assure him that his priorities — the revitalization of the General Assembly, sustainable development, climate change and the peaceful settlement of disputes — are also our priorities. Our delegation will extend its full support to him in order to achieve those objectives. I also pay tribute to Mr. John Ashe for his effective leadership of the General Assembly during its past session. We commend the Secretary-General’s efforts to find diplomatic solutions to complex challenges to international peace and security. We appreciate his leadership in hosting the climate summit. Extreme weather patterns are disrupting world economies. In Pakistan we have directly experienced such a calamity just recently.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We need multilateral diplomacy so that we continue to respect diversity while reaching decisions that impact our fate as members of the international community. Towards that end, the United Nations — the virtual world parliament — is our best hope.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“However, the attack has further strengthened my Government’s resolve to deal with terrorism and extremism in a resolute and comprehensive manner, as I reiterated in my very first speech at the National Assembly of Pakistan. In conclusion, I wish to emphasize to the Assembly that Pakistan is a strong supporter of multilateral diplomacy, convinced that it is the most legitimate and ultimate guarantor of peace and security, economic and social development, and respect for universal human rights. As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Pakistan has been making every effort to strengthen the role of diplomacy to resolve conflicts and to help build States in post-conflict situations. In all instances, we have upheld the primacy of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“By investing in their education and skills, we aim to tap into the demographic dividend. Minorities are equal citizens of Pakistan. They will not only have complete freedom to worship, but also full protection of their rights to education, employment and political participation. We are deeply saddened by the recent terrorist attack on the members of a minority community in Peshawar. That heinous attack has united the entire Pakistani nation in support of our brothers and sisters of all faiths in Pakistan. We share their grief and have declared three days of mourning. The attack was carried out by the same elements who have attacked our mosques, shrines, innocent citizens and members of our security forces.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)