YouSaid · the spoken record

Lodhi

lines on the record: 545
first: 2015-03-16
most recent: 2019-10-29
sittings or episodes: 79
sources: un-security-council

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

“Finally, as this is my last statement as the Permanent Representative of Pakistan in the Security Council, I would like to conclude by saying that giving women a key role not only brings fresh perspectives but can also be a game-changer in contributing significantly to building a foundation for lasting and sustainable peace. I am the first woman from my country in 70 years to represent the Islamic Republic of Pakistan at the United Nations. It has been a great honour and privilege, especially to speak in this Chamber. I am confident it will not be another 70 years before Pakistan sends another woman to represent our great country.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“The Security Council must live up to its responsibilities and address this dire and unacceptable situation. Peacekeeping operations and uniformed personnel, as we all know very well, remain the most Visible representatives and symbol of the United Nations working directly with communities every day. They have a critical role to play in mainstreaming gender perspectives in peace and security. Among the world's top troop-contributors to United Nations peacekeeping, my country, Pakistan, for its part is not only training its Blue Helmets along those lines, but it has also increased the number of its female peacekeepers and met the United Nations target of 15 per cent women in our troop contributions to the United Nations - a target that we met with great pride.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“The anguish of Kashmiri women is further compounded when their family members, including children, are kidnapped in midnight raids, illegally detained and then tortured by occupying forces and when unremitting restrictions on movement and communication condemns women in occupied Kashmir to seeing their children suffer and die as a result of the lack of medical help. The continuing lockdown has not only made access to health care, food supplies and even communication with loved ones next to impossible; it has also made women more vulnerable to abuse as they are left at the mercy of occupying forces enforcing an inhumane curfew. Rape, after all, has long been used there and confirmed in the reports of international human rights organizations as a brutal tactic to humiliate an entire community and people. This travesty ofjustice must end.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“While the agenda has sought the feminization of peace in a post-conflict environment, a greater effort will be needed to safeguard and protect countless women whose suffering we continue to discount or ignore owing to exigencies of realpolitik or geopolitical interests. We need to reaffirm that this agenda applies to all women in conflict situations, especially in cases of foreign occupation, such as in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. For almost three months, the world has witnessed in horror as India's cruel clampdown on all civil liberties in occupied Kashmir and its illegal annexation of the disputed territory, in gross Violation of international law and several Security Council resolutions, have exacerbated and compounded the suffering of people, especially women and girls.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“Despite our best intentions and efforts, they continue to suffer disproportionately with lasting consequences. According to the recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/800), more than 50 parties in various conflicts around the world are suspected of having committed or instigated patterns of rape and other forms of sexual violence in situations that are on the agenda of the Security Council. Women not only remain the primary victims of hostilities and sexual violence in conflict situations; they also face multiple practical and institutional barriers that prevent them from participating fully and substantively in peace processes. Resolution 1325 (2000) marked a watershed in placing women's issues at the centre of the global conflict-prevention debate within the larger context of international peace and security.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“This open debate is being held on the eve of significant landmarks and anniversaries. Next year we will celebrate the seventy- fifth anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations. We will mark 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and 20 years since the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). This is therefore an opportune time to reflect on our achievements, as well as on lost opportunities, and to consider a course correction where needed. While we have made considerable progress on the normative front, the world remains a very dangerous place, especially for women and girls who find themselves caught in the vortex of pain and suffering caused by seemingly unending wars, protracted disputes and foreign occupation.”
2019-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8649Resumption1 (2019) · source
“Next month the Palestinians will mark the seventy-second anniversary of a partition plan that outlined the creation of an independent Palestinian State. Despite the fact that the continuing tragedy of the Palestinians and the Kashmiris still waits to be addressed, they are nonetheless reassured in their conviction that while it may be dark and forbidding, the night of occupation will one day yield to the light of freedom and dignity for them and other people living under foreign occupation. Let me say finally that your own struggle against apartheid, Mr. President, is itself living testimony to that eternal prophecy.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“Meanwhile, the continued military occupation and expansion of settlement activity in the occupied territory, including East Jerusalem, along with the looming threat of the annexation of the West Bank, have not only undermined the goal of a two-State solution, they have also imperilled peace and security in the Middle East and beyond. Pakistan's solidarity with the people of Palestine is firm and unwavering. It is, after all, an abiding lesson of history that attempts to suppress and subjugate people living under foreign occupation and to deny them their fundamental rights, including the right to self- determination, are ultimately bound to fail. Yesterday, Kashmiris across the world marked the seventy-second anniversary of the illegal Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“Fourthly, while the stability of the Middle East has always been a question of global concern, the involvement of the international community must be based on an unequivocal commitment to multilateral solutions and political processes. Not only are the threat or use of sanctions, embargoes and kinetic actions a throwback to imperial tactics, the recent history of the region also affirms that unilateral measures have brought only greater suffering and pain to its peoples. Yet nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of the occupied Palestinian territories, where established norms of international law, including Security Council resolutions, continue to be deliberately and systematically flouted.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“Secondly, de-escalatory steps and confidence-building measures are vital to reducing tensions and preventing the eruption of new conflicts. In that connection, we welcome the recent gains made in advancing the political process in Syria. We are also encouraged by the positive overtures by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen on the political situation in the country. That momentum must be sustained. Thirdly, it is critical to abandon narrow national interests and instead invest in lasting stability. Any attempts to shape the region according to specific political preferences are counterproductive and must be avoided.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“The framework for regional peace must be built on the abiding virtues of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, which are not merely principles of international law or the Charter of the United Nations but also constitute the fundamental essence of the Islamic teachings of amity, goodwill and brotherhood. Guided by those considerations, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been consulting with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Iran to forge unity within the ranks of the Muslim Ummah. Pakistan will continue to play its part in promoting peace and stability in the region, and there are certain points that we consider critically important. First, durable peace can be achieved only through inclusive political solutions. We must therefore prioritize respect for dialogue and diplomacy.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“The role that external actors are playing adds another layer of complexity to an already fraught regional situation. Meanwhile, non-State actors and terrorist organizations have tried to exploit the turmoil to gain a foothold across the region. The activities of these terror outfits, including the Kurdistan Workers' Party and its affiliates, have created legitimate security concerns for regional States. At this precarious moment in history, reconciliation within the region is imperative if we are to avoid further instability. It is also essential if we are to achieve our shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous Middle East.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“My delegation thanks the South African presidency for convening today's important debate. In my very first statement to the Council on the situation in the Middle East in April 2015 (see S/PV.7430), I spoke of a growing tide of complex and interconnected challenges that threatened to push the region into a fresh vortex of violence and instability. Today, as I take the floor in what will be my last statement on the issue, I say with a heavy heart that the grim situation prevailing on the ground appears to have confirmed some of our worst fears. Riven by protracted and emerging conflicts, escalating violence and worsening humanitarian crises, the Middle East's geostrategic landscape is clouded by competing and divergent interests among the major regional Powers.”
2019-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8648 (2019) · source
“My country stands ready to support the Government of Afghanistan in addressing the multiple challenges it faces today and will assist in whatever way it is asked when it transitions from war to a peaceful future.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“The Ministers reiterated their support for a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict and underlined the need for an inclusive, Afghan- led and Afghan-owned peace process leading to a comprehensive agreement for durable peace and stability. We are working with Afghanistan and our regional partners on many regional economic and energy corridors, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan~Pakistan-India Pipeline, the CASA-lOOO power project and others. In conclusion, let me say that peace and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan are intertwined and interdependent. Pakistan has a vital interest in a peaceful, stable, united and prosperous Afghanistan.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“Pakistan has provided significant development aid to Afghanistan in the education, health, reconstruction and infrastructure development sectors. In addition, my country has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for four decades, opening our homes and hearts to our brothers and sisters in their time of travail and tragedy. Even as I speak, we are host to the largest protracted presence of refugees anywhere in the world. We remain committed to their safe, dignified and voluntary repatriation. My Government recently extended the tripartite agreement and the validity of their stay in Pakistan to 30 June 2020. At the regional level, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan concluded the third round of the trilateral Foreign Ministers dialogue in Islamabad only this past weekend.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“But Pakistan, at best, can be only a facilitator. It is up to the parties to the conflict to resolve their differences with patience, trust and continued, sustained engagement. Tough decisions will eventually have to be taken by the Afghans themselves. It is equally critical for the international community to recommit to supporting a negotiated peace in Afghanistan. On the bilateral front, during the visit of President Ashraf Ghani to Pakistan in June, the leadership of the two countries committed to adopt the framework for a forward-looking approach and to move away from the mistrust of the past. The need for enhanced trade and economic relations and cooperation for regional connectivity was re-emphasized.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“We have been facilitating the peace and reconciliation process in good faith, as a shared responsibility, and have encouraged all sides to remain engaged with sincerity and patience. Pakistan will continue to monitor the developments. We reiterate our principled policy position that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. We urge all sides to re-engage, and look forward to an early resumption of the talks. Apart from Afghanistan itself, there is no country that has suffered more than Pakistan from the four decades of war and foreign interventions in Afghanistan. There is no other country that will gain more from peace in Afghanistan. In his recent visit to Washington, DC, Prime Minister Imran Khan assured President Trump of Pakistan's full support in bringing the conflict in Afghanistan to a negotiated conclusion.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“As history is our witness, the path to peace, especially in protracted conflicts, is never linear or easy. Challenges have to be overcome and hurdles crossed before a comprehensive agreement is reached. Therefore, the recent setback should not set back our hopes or the resolve to persist. We hope the suspension of the peace talks is only a pause and that they will resume sooner rather than later, as the alternative is far worse, namely, a surge in violence that could push Afghanistan into an even more turbulent and uncertain phase than has been witnessed in the past. Pakistan has always condemned violence and called on all sides to exercise restraint and a commitment to pursue the process. Let me reiterate that message today.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“We agree with his assessment that the war in Afghanistan has been long and brutal and that the path to peace will be challenging, but we share his optimism about the progress achieved in the peace talks. That, of course, was before last weekend. After decades of conflict, the framework for an eventual peace agreement seemed within grasp. There were sufficient grounds to be hopeful that the parties appeared closer to that goal than at any other time in the past 18 years. Nine rounds of direct talks between the United States and the Taliban over nearly a year had brightened prospects for putting in place, at least in principle, an agreement for a settlement that could lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and a negotiated end to the long drawn-out conflict.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“Let me begin by conveying our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his report (S/2019/703)and to our good friend, Special Representative Tadamichi Yamamoto, for his very insightful briefing. The situation in Afghanistan remains a source of concern for the international community, especially for my country as a neighbour. Persisting conflict, instability and turmoil and a fragile economy continue to exacerbate the suffering of the Afghan people. We share the Secretary-General's concern at the continued fighting and its heavy toll on the civilian population. We are also concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.”
2019-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8613 (2019) · source
“Fifthly, rather than focus just on cutting costs and troop numbers, operations must dictate logistics and not the other way around. Sixthly, peacekeeping missions, especially those with multidimensional mandates, are on the ground to facilitate peacebuilding at all stages of conflict and assist in achieving sustainable peace. Peacekeepers cannot therefore be there to negotiate political solutions or enforce peace. In conclusion, we look forward to working with all stakeholders for our common objective of improving peacekeeping outcomes. The burden of responsibility should, however, be shared equitably to achieve the results we all want.”
2019-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8612 (2019) · source
“Secondly, performance assessments must start with scrutinizing mandates and the adequacy of resources actually available to TCCs. The Secretariat obviously bears the responsibility of providing a pragmatic and realistic analysis of the situation, in terms of political environment, resource gaps and possible exit strategies. That information then needs to be reflected by the Council in its mandates. Thirdly, delays in deployment must be removed to ensure that TCCs do not become the victims of double jeopardy. Committed assets cannot be deployed for national demands and delays mean they are not even being reimbursed. Fourthly, peacekeeping is a shared responsibility. As we are all committed to the Action for Peacekeeping Declaration, we must fulfil our respective obligations and roles.”
2019-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8612 (2019) · source
“Pakistan has met United Nations targets on the participation of women and also recently deployed a female engagement team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We are also deploying critical enablers, including air assets to a number of peacekeeping missions, and participating in train-the-trainer programmes. Allow me to make six key points here. First, even the best training and equipment cannot be expected to deliver in the face of unrealistic expectations. We could have the best-trained force and critical assets on ground but not be able to optimally utilize them, either due to caveats or mechanisms involved in their deployment. It is therefore imperative that all assets be available for utilization as the on-the-ground situation warrants.”
2019-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8612 (2019) · source
“UNMOGIP's efficacy has become more consequential due to mounting ceasefire violations by Indian forces, which necessitates regular and formal reporting to the Security Council in this Chamber. We appreciate the role UNMOGIP plays in maintaining regional stability. We also welcome the update on UNMOGIP provided by the Department of Peace Operations to the Security Council in its meeting on Jammu and Kashmir on 16 August. It is important that the Council continue to closely monitor the situation and also start exploring options to strengthen UNMOGIP and ensure that India also allows it the requisite freedom of access and movement in order for it to fulfil its mandate. As a major TCC, we fully understand the rationale behind generating critical capabilities, increasing female participation and, of course, improving training.”
2019-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8612 (2019) · source
“It is, after all, the TCCs that are expected to provide equipment, impart adequate training and ready the troops with the appropriate mindsets. Pakistan has been a consistent and reliable TCC since 1960. We have contributed over 200,000 troops to 46 missions so far, and we continue to be in the field. Additionally, we are also host to one of the oldest peacekeeping missions, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which monitors the situation on either side of the Line of Control in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. UNMOGIP's role and importance have increased dramatically, exponentially even, since India's illegal de facto annexation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August, in flagrant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions.”
2019-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8612 (2019) · source
“Let me begin by thanking the Russian presidency for organizing this debate, and Under-Secretary General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his briefing this morning. Over the decades, peacekeeping has become the United Nations flagship enterprise and one of its pivotal tools to manage complex conflicts that pose a threat to international peace and security. Because of their hard work, dedication and sacrifice, the Blue Helmets are now acknowledged and respected all over the world as an indispensable instrument of the United Nations. We have seen an increasing focus on improving the performance ofpeacekeeping over the past year, through the normative framework and in terms of concepts such as agility and protection through projection, which are heavily reliant on additional expectations from troop-contributing countries (TCCs).”
2019-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8612 (2019) · source
“Finally, allow me to say that the Security Council and the Secretariat can continue to count on Pakistan as a key partner not only in the field but in all dimensions of peacekeeping, including norm-building and policy formulation. However, without real and effective triangular cooperation, we cannot expect to successfully deal with the multiple challenges that we face today.”
2019-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8570 (2019) · source
“Fifthly, the elected members of the Council continue to play a critical bridge-building role in facilitating discussions on triangular cooperation. That aspect of triangular cooperation also needs to be further strengthened. Pakistan, along with Morocco, established an informal group of troop- and police-contributing countries in 2017. It includes almost all top contributors to United Nations peacekeeping missions. Our group co-hosted a meeting on triangular cooperation with the participation of leading TCCs, senior representatives of the Secretariat and members of the Security Council. We believe that the platform can be used to further our common objective of effective communication and better peacekeeping.”
2019-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8570 (2019) · source
“There is therefore a real need to institutionalize triangular cooperation as a framework to engage troop- and police-contributing countries and the Secretariat early in the process. Secondly, with operating environments becoming ever more volatile and with a chorus of demands for doing more with less, that three-way communication has assumed even greater importance. Thirdly, we do not need to add another layer of formal mechanisms to improve things. All we need to do is to better utilize the existing avenues and a balanced mix of formal and informal dialogue. Both, of course, have their own merit. Fourthly, formal meetings need to be revitalized to maximize their benefits through the provision of relevant information to TCCs and PCCs in a timely manner in order to ensure substantive and meaningful dialogue well ahead of mandate renewals.”
2019-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8570 (2019) · source
“In that vein, in 2018, along with the United Kingdom, Pakistan presented a non-paper to the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) to aid discussions and find ways to improve triangular cooperation. We were pleased to see that initiative referred to in the concept note (S/2019/538, annex) for today's debate. As aresult ofour efforts, an entire chapter was dedicated to triangular cooperation in the 2018 C-34 report (A/72/19). Let me now make five specific points to further improve triangular cooperation. First, Pakistan considers effective communication and consultation among the three main stakeholders - the Security Council, the Secretariat and the TCCs - critical for effective and result- oriented peacekeeping, which is a point that has also been made by many of the speakers this afternoon.”
2019-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8570 (2019) · source
“We have also been proud to contribute to United Nations peacekeeping in the realm of ideas and norm- building. During Pakistan's presidency of the Security Council in 2013, the landmark resolution 2086 (2013) was adopted (see S/PV.6903). For the first time, the resolution recognized the multidimensional nature of modern peacekeeping and its evolving role in facing the complex challenges that come with it. We believe that TCCs are the eyes and ears of the United Nations on the ground. Their inputs are therefore invaluable for the Secretariat as well as the Security Council. Pakistan has therefore been a strong proponent of proactive and robust triangular cooperation.”
2019-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8570 (2019) · source
“Allow me, too, to begin by thanking Peru for organizing today's debate. Let me also thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the other briefers for their insightful briefings this afternoon. My country has been a consistent troop/ police-contributor (TCC/FCC) to United Nations peacekeeping for almost six decades. More than 200,000 of our bravest have served in 46 missions around the world in some of the most high-risk environments. One hundred and fifty-six of them have made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of international peace and security. The dedication and professionalism of our peacekeepers are widely acknowledged. They are well trained, well equipped and prepared to act in all circumstances, in accordance with their mandate.”
2019-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8570 (2019) · source
“It is vital to build the capacities and capabilities of States facing those challenges. That is where the United Nations can play an effective role. Pakistan will continue to play its role to sever the vicious link between terrorism and organized crime in our region. That is critical for our own people as well as for our neighbourhood and, indeed, the rest of the world.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“Secondly, there are instances, including in our region, where there is a nexus linking drug production, instability and the lack of alternative economic opportunities. It is important to re-establish Government control over territories used for drug production and to promote development to provide alternative livelihoods. Thirdly, in dealing with the world drug problem, it is important to focus on reducing both the supply of and the demand for narcotic drugs through a well- integrated, comprehensive and balanced approach. Fourthly, effective border controls are a prerequisite for clamping down on transnational organized crime and terrorism. Lastly, strategies need to be tailored to the specific challenges presented by specific regional dynamics and conditions.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“Under the quartet initiative, we are collaborating with Russia, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to combat drug trafficking. We have strengthened cooperation with the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre, which is a useful forum for the coordination of regional anti-drug efforts at the operational level. My country believes that only through collective regional and international efforts can we choke off the various sources that support terrorist outfits through organized crime. We believe that an effective strategy to achieve those goals must take into account the following five points. First, in order to ensure that our responses are evidence-based, the international community should allocate proper resources to better understand the correlation between terrorism financing and transnational organized crime.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“With limited resources, our law-enforcement agencies continue to make record drug seizures every year - a tangible manifestation of our consistent and dedicated efforts to protect not only our own country but also the rest of the world from this scourge. We share the goal of the international community to address the global drug problem through appropriate national, bilateral, regional and international measures. At the regional and global levels, Pakistan has remained constructively engaged with various counter- narcotics-related forums and initiatives. Pakistan is an active participant in the regional programme for Afghanistan and neighbouring countries of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). We are cooperating with Iran and Afghanistan under the UNODC-sponsored triangular initiative.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“Thirdly, terrorist groups recruit criminals, in particular marginalized youth, to advance their goals. And. fourthly, organized crime flourishes in areas outside Government control and under the patronage of terrorist outfits. Pakistan is one ofthe principal victims ofterrorism, and, as such, its resolve to eliminating this scourge is clear and unwavering. Proceeds from the narco-trade, kidnapping for ransom, extortion, the smuggling of natural resources and human trafficking are some of the key sources of financing for terrorist organizations in my region. Located next to the epicentre of the world's drug problem, Pakistan also remains one of the most affected transit States for illicit drug trafficking.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“Let me also start by congratulating Peru on assuming the presidency of the Security Council and for convening today's open debate on this all-important topic. I also thank the briefers for their insightful presentations this morning. The nexus between terrorism and transnational organized crime is complex and varies across different contexts. We know that criminal and terrorist outfits have cooperated to facilitate one another's activities despite their divergent objectives. In our view, there are four major areas of confluence between organized crime and terrorism. First, there is the increasing cooperation between them, especially for the acquisition of arms, ammunition and explosive materials. Secondly, terrorist outfits increasingly rely on organized crime as a financing tool.”
2019-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8569 (2019) · source
“Let me conclude by recalling that the great philosopher and poet of the East, Muhammad Iqbal, who first conceived of Pakistan as an independent State and also described Afghanistan as the heart of Asia, declared more than a century ago that, if there is instability in Afghanistan, all of Asia will be unstable, whereas peace in Afghanistan will bring peace and prosperity to the entire region. Today, we look hopefully to a future where the restoration of peace in our neighbouring country will lead to the realization of stability and security that has for so long eluded our region.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“My Foreign Minister visited Kabul three times last year, sending a strong signal of our desire to work closely and meaningfully with the National Unity Government. At the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Ashraf Ghani will visit Islamabad later this month. We are confident that the visit will provide impetus to further strengthening our bilateral relations. The combined potential of Pakistan and Afghanistan is considerable. Expanded trade, energy cooperation and the implementation of the various transregional economic projects already identified can greatly enhance peace and prosperity for the entire region. We stand committed to working with Afghanistan to promote our shared political and economic objectives.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“Hurdles remain. Many challenges lie ahead before a comprehensive agreement can be reached and accepted by all the parties. Together with the other international partners, we feel that there is now an urgent need to take the next important step - the initiation of an intra-Afghan dialogue. We urge all sides, including the Taliban, to commit to that. We also hope that the seventh round of United States-Taliban talks, expected early next month, will be able to kick-start a genuine and inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue process. That could lead potentially to the most decisive phase in the peace effort. Cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is a vital component of the endeavour to realize peace and security within Afghanistan and the entire region. Strengthening bilateral relations is a priority for my Government.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“Our consistent efforts helped to overcome the decades-old political impasse on the commencement of a peace dialogue. Our contribution to the launch of direct United States-Taliban talks in Doha, after the initial round in the United Arab Emirates, has been widely acknowledged. As the next step, Pakistan released Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar at the request of our international partners. During the six rounds of talks between the United States and the Taliban, Pakistan maintained a close liaison with the process and fully supported those peace efforts, with the endorsement of those at the highest levels of the progress that has been made. Pakistan will continue to play whatever role it can to help promote a political settlement that can end the long suffering of the Afghan people. The path to peace will not be easy.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“Apart from Afghanistan, there is no country other than Pakistan that has suffered more from the four decades of war and foreign interventions in Afghanistan. There is no other country that will gain more from peace in Afghanistan. In his very first address to the nation after his election last year, Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's support for peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan, and we have played an active role in the pursuit of that goal. My Government responded positively to United States President Donald Trump's request to Prime Minister Khan last year for help in the Afghan peace process. We have not only called for a reduction of violence on all sides, as well as a ceasefire, but have taken whatever steps we could to contribute to that objective.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“Several rounds of direct talks between the United States and the Taliban have opened up a real opportunity for progress towards peace in a country that has been ravaged by conflict and violence for more than a generation. The international community had long reached a consensus that a negotiated peace was the best, and indeed only, hope for securing durable peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. That has also been my country's consistent position and recommendation. For almost two decades, Pakistan argued that there was no military solution to the conflict and that the only sustainable path to peace in Afghanistan was through dialogue. We are therefore gratified that this is the path that is now being seriously pursued.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“Let me too begin by thanking Special Representative Yamamoto and my good friend, Ms. Sima Samar, for their briefings. The situation in Afghanistan remains a source of concern to the international community. Persisting conflict, instability and turmoil and a fragile economy continue to compound the suffering of the Afghan people. That is also the message of the Secretary General's report (S/2019/493). We share his regret with regard to the continued fighting and its heavy toll on the civilian population. We are also concerned about the aggravating humanitarian situation. But there are also grounds for hope. After decades of war, there is reason now to be cautiously optimistic about the prospects for peace.”
2019-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8555 (2019) · source
“The goal of the protection of civilians can best be achieved by preventing the outbreak of armed conflict in the first place. Anything short of that would be to treat only the symptoms and not the disease.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“Fifth, the Security Council, as the primary body tasked with maintaining international peace and security, should focus on the root causes of emerging and long-standing conflicts, including those in Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir, and find just solutions. Inaction by the Council in cases of foreign aggression or occupation comes at a high human cost, but unfortunately we continue to see legal and moral values sacrificed at the altar of political expediency. I would like to conclude by saying that we should be mindful that the spirit of the Geneva Conventions is about upholding human dignity even in the midst of war, and it is as important today as it was 70 years ago. After all, conventions are law, and the law must always be upheld.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“As one of the world's leading troop contributors to United Nations peacekeeping, Pakistan sends well-trained and professional peacekeepers who have protected civilians, provided them with much-needed medical care and rebuilt communities. Thirdly, violations are neither inevitable nor insurmountable. They can be mitigated by consistent use of the entire range of national and international judicial and non-judicial means for promoting compliance with international humanitarian law and ensuring accountability. Fourthly, a lack of the political will needed to fully respect humanitarian law and other applicable rules is the primary impediment to protecting civilians in armed conflict. Sustained pressure from those with influence over parties to conflicts can obviously rectify that wrong.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source
“Civilians, who should be the primary subject of protection, have become the principal objectives of attack. Last year alone, according to the Secretary- General's report on the protection of civilians (S/2019/373), more than 22,000 civilians were killed, injured or maimed as a result of direct or indiscriminate attacks by parties to conflicts, while 1.4 million people were made refugees and a further 5.2 million displaced internally. I would quickly like to underscore five specific points in that regard. First, the protection of civilians is a system- wide undertaking, but host countries bear the primary responsibility for protecting all civilians, without discrimination. Secondly, the protection of civilians, wherever mandated by the Council, should be a priority for United Nations peacekeeping operations.”
2019-05-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8534 (2019) · source