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

“In addition, the systematic practice of dispossessing Palestinians of their homes and displacing them from their lands and livelihoods in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continues unabated. Any unilateral attempts by Israel to alter or re-engineer the existing status quo in the old city of Jerusalem is an unacceptable provocation for billions of Muslims around the world - it must cease. That was highlighted again during tensions surrounding the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque in July. Creating alternative facts on the ground cannot change historic realities or neutralize or reverse the legal rights ofpeople living under foreign occupation, in Palestine or indeed elsewhere. A just peace in Palestine is not only a matter of regional significance; it is a fundamental precondition for global peace and security.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“A viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine - on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital i is the only sustainable guarantee for enduring peace in the Middle East. During his recent visit to Gaza, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "I have a dream. A dream to one day see the Holy Land with two States". Yet that vision is consistently and brazenly being undermined by the illegal Israeli settlements in occupied territories. As affirmed by the Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council pursuant to its resolution 2334 (2016), settlement activity has in fact been stepped up. It has intensified.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“However, some aspects of the Middle East's political landscape today offer reason for optimism. The political reconciliation forged between Fatah and Hamas in Cairo last week is a landmark achievement. It not only restores political unity within Palestinian ranks, but also provides renewed strength and vigour to the legitimate cause of the Palestinian people. We congratulate the Palestinians on that singular achievement and hope that it will lead to real progress. But that development by itself is not enough to tip the scales of justice in favour of the long-suffering Palestinians. The international community must renew its resolve to sustain that positive momentum. As a first step, the illegal and oppressive siege of Gaza by Israel must be lifted.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“My delegation thanks the French presidency of the Security Council for convening this open debate. Let me also thank the Assistant Secretary-General for his briefing. Discussions on the situation in the Middle East invariably become a sombre reminder of the spectre of violence, turmoil and conflict that has afflicted millions of people across the region. Nothing epitomizes that more than the plight and suffering of the Palestinian people. On the fiftieth anniversary of the illegal occupation of their homeland, the aspirations of the Palestinian people to live a life of freedom and dignity still remain a distant and elusive ideal. The lack of progress on the Palestinian issue has not only betrayed the hopes and aspirations of generations of Palestinians, it has also sowed the seeds of seemingly endless hostility and discord in the region.”
2017-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8072 (2017) · source
“Pakistan has struggled together with the Afghan people to uphold their freedom from foreign occupation and intervention. We strongly support Afghanistan's sovereignty. We strongly oppose its use in games of geopolitical power. While others can afford to orchestrate a proxy war to destabilize Afghanistan and its neighbours, for Pakistan a stable Afghanistan is vital for its own peace, stability and for our progress.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Pakistan remains committed to extending all possible assistance to our Afghan brothers and sisters, including by facilitating the transit of Afghanistan's imports and exports through our ports, helping with the construction of infrastructure projects through the utilization of the $500 million commitment we made in Brussels and by extending our assistance to the Afghan forces in securing their country. We believe that the meeting last week here in New York between the Foreign Ministers of our two countries opens a window of opportunity to work together to address both security and economic issues to our mutual benefit. The bonds of religion, culture, history and geography that bind the peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan are strong and immutable. They will survive the episodes of external intervention and external manipulation.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“First, there must be a coordinated effort to contain and defeat Da'esh and Al-Qaida and their associates, including the TTP, the JUA, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Secondly, Afghanistan must promote a sustained dialogue between the Afghan Government and the Afghan Taliban and other insurgents willing to negotiate a peaceful settlement. Thirdly, effective measures must be taken to prevent cross-border attacks by terrorists and militants travelling from or to Afghanistan.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Pakistan also calls upon the Taliban to abandon violence and agree to resume talks in one or more negotiating forums. An agreed de-escalation of the conflict and a negotiated settlement offers the best chance to end the suffering of the Afghan people and to restore peace and tranquillity within Afghanistan and the region. However, as my Prime Minister stated in the General Assembly last week (see A/72/PV.14), what Pakistan is not prepared to do is to fight the Afghan war on my country's soil. We cannot endorse any strategy that has repeatedly failed in the past and would only prolong and intensify the suffering of the people of Afghanistan, as well as further destabilize the region. We believe that the strategy to restore peace in Afghanistan should focus on the following three elements.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Pakistan is undertaking steps to strengthen border controls and end sponsored terrorist attacks against my country. We expect the Afghan Government and coalition forces to extend full cooperation in ensuring an end to cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into my country. The Secretary General has affirmed the strong international consensus that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. A peace process between the Afghan Government and the Afghan insurgency must be promoted and fully supported. An intra-Afghan dialogue can succeed only if the Afghan Government itself endorses the global consensus that peace can be achieved only through negotiations and not by the force of arms. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan can play a critical role in forging that consensus in Kabul.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Our military operations, the largest anti-terrorism campaign anywhere in the world, involving over 200,000 of our troops, have crushed and eliminated terrorist groups in our frontier regions and in our towns and cities. We have paid a heavy price. In all, 27,000 civilians and soldiers have been martyred, 50,000 injured - many of them maimed for life. Our economic losses over the past several years are estimated at $120 billion. Unfortunately, Pakistan continues to face terrorist attacks from across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which are conducted by the TTP, the JUA and Islamic State-related groups, operating from sanctuaries and safe havens in Afghanistan. We urge the Afghan Government and coalition forces to take decisive action to eliminate terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Those organizations are conducting terrorist attacks inside my country and pose a threat to Afghanistan's other neighbours. Wars and turmoil in Afghanistan over the past four decades have afflicted and infected our region with extremism and terrorism. Apart from the people of Afghanistan, it is Pakistan that has borne the brunt of it all. Terrorism, the arms and drug trade and the influx of millions of Afghan refugees have undermined my country's security and retarded our economic growth and development. Pakistan has a vital stake in building peace and security in Afghanistan. We have supported, and will continue to support, all regional and international efforts to promote a peaceful settlement to the internal conflict in Afghanistan. For its part, Pakistan has fought a very successful war against terrorism.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“The Afghan Government would therefore be better advised to focus more seriously on its persistent challenges and embark on a path of course correction, rather than blaming others. The Secretary-General's report refers to Da'esh and its expanding reach in Afghanistan, including in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. It also talks of its increased influence in the northern and western provinces. These are worrying signs for Afghan security and for regional stability, particularly for Afghanistan's immediate neighbours. As the Afghan Government itself has acknowledged, more than 20 terrorist organizations are operating from its soil, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, otherwise known as TTP, and Jamaat-ul- Ahrar (J UA).”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Let me start by thanking the Secretary-General for his report (S/2017/783) and his Special Representative Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto for his briefing today. Pakistan shares the universal concern regarding the grave situation in Afghanistan. The Secretary- General's report highlights the fact that the Afghan people continue to face a deteriorating political, economic and security situation in their country. The Government's inability to control the narcotics trade and arms smuggling is compounding the situation. It is with deep regret that I am obliged to reject the insinuations made by the Afghan Foreign Minister directed at my country. The fundamental sources of insecurity in Afghanistan lie inside the country, not outside.”
2017-09-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8055 (2017) · source
“Eradicating poverty and unemployment, ensuring socioeconomic development and justice, addressing inter-State and intra-State issues and resolving political disputes all require more focused attention. Finally, let me say that, if we are really serious about making United Nations peacekeeping a catalyst for peace and wish to empower it to respond effectively to the conflicts of today and contribute to the overarching goal of sustaining peace, then realities on the ground rather than political expediency should guide the Council's decisions. Sustaining peace requires investing in peace. Assessing mandates is welcome, but such assessments should be intended to analyse the impact of missions in order to improve the results. Saving lives, restoring order and maintaning international peace and security should remain our overarching objective.”
2017-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8033 (2017) · source
“There is need for a fuller interface between peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities through the early engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) as part of exit and transition strategies. The PBC should promote coherent peacebuilding activities along with the provision of timely, adequate and sustained financing. Greater convergence between the perspectives of development partners and host countries, based primarily on the priorities of the latter, is also essential. The objective should be the development - and not the replacement - of national capacities. An ominous gap in peacebuilding strategies is often the failure to comprehend and address the root causes of conflicts.”
2017-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8033 (2017) · source
“To achieve that we need to, first, reinforce interaction among key stakeholders; secondly, enhance information flow and exchange in all directions and at all stages; and, thirdly, improve capacities to generate accurate and objective analysis and assessments and then channel them into the decision-making processes. Obviously, consultation with troop-contributing countries is essential for all three tasks. Effective partnership with troop contributors, which are the Security Council's eyes and cars on the ground, should extend from deployment and operational aspects to a role in decision-making and policy formulation. The Council itself must drive that partnership. Dialogue is critical. It must take place on a sustained and continuing basis. A one-off meeting at the time of the renewal of a mandate does not really serve that purpose.”
2017-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8033 (2017) · source
“We need to ensure that peacekeeping missions are effectively deployed and that their operations are relevant to the realities on ground, with clearly identified priorities, adequate sequencing and, of course, well-equipped human and material resources. When lives are at risk - of peacekeepers as well as those they are responsible for protecting - actual requirements should drive peacekeeping, not narrow cost considerations. A lack of adequate resources results inevitably in non-implementation of the very mandates that we fashion for our Blue Helmets. We should be talking about enhancing capabilities, not across-the-board cuts in peacekeeping budgets. We believe in the full implementation of mandates, but they require communication between those who conceive and write mandates and those who implement them on the ground.”
2017-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8033 (2017) · source
“Pakistan has always believed that and been an advocate of that approach. It is no coincidence that 12 of the 22 paragraphs of resolution 2086 (2013), on multidimensional peacekeeping, adopted during Pakistan's presidency of the Council, refer to those concepts. Peacekeeping is the pivot on which we build on the dividends of preventive diplomacy and promote post- conflict peace and nationbuilding. As one of the world's top troop contributors to United Nations peacekeeping over the past six decades, Pakistan can say from its experience and the expertise it has acquired that the realization of that objective requires mandates with realistic tasks, the flexibility to adapt to changes on the ground and a clear exit strategy.”
2017-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8033 (2017) · source
“Let me start by conveying Pakistan's appreciation to Egypt for arranging this open debate today. This discussion is both timely and relevant. It comes as we review and consider the reform of the peace and security architecture of the United Nations and examine ways of enhancing the efficacy and effectiveness of tools of sustainable peace. United Nations peacekeeping has always been the most cost- effective tool for the maintenance of international peace and security. As we all know, the fundamental purpose of peacekeeping is to keep the peace, help resolve conflicts and restore order. Sustaining peace envisages conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacekeeping, post-conflict peacebuilding and development as essential components of one seamless process and as stages along a continuum.”
2017-08-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8033 (2017) · source
“The Security Council's consultative dialogues with regional organizations are a useful tool for the Council in its efforts to develop regional partnerships so as to address relevant issues of peace and security, just as we have seen in the case of the Council's dialogue with the AU Peace and Security Council. Those tools are of pivotal importance if unburdened from issues that go beyond the purview of regional problems. Therefore, in order to be of optimal use, those dialogues must continue to focus on practical approaches to the resolution of issues that are exclusively regional in nature. It is important to ensure that valuable time and effort are dedicated to finding pragmatic and durable solutions.”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“I must say, however, that our voice has remained either unsolicited or unheard when major decisions were made with regard to new deployments, crafting mandates, devising strategies pertaining to regional and trilateral cooperation and many of the other issues directly affecting our troops. That silo culture must change, if we want to make peacekeeping work at its optimum capacity. We also believe that the flawed notion of doing more with less should be seriously revisited, because erratic budget cuts will undermine and not advance peacekeeping in Africa.”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“We hope that the themes identified for cooperation, as well as the mechanisms set out for operationalizing those themes, will provide a good basis for further collaboration between the two organizations. As one of the top troop-contributors to United Nations peacekeeping, Pakistan and its security personnel have contributed to many of the success stories in Africa, from Liberia to Sierra Leone. Our well-trained and professional peacekeepers have protected civilians, provided much-needed medical care and rebuilt lives and countries. They have worked in difficult and, at times, dangerous circumstances, but have never shied away from fulfilling their mandate.”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“If pursued with an objective approach, such a partnership can not only augment the ability of the Council to effectively meet its challenges, but also help enhance the capacity of the AU Peace and Security Council to shoulder more responsibilities for peace and security in Africa. We urge the Council to consider investing more financial and capacity-building resources in the enhancement of the AU's capabilities, especially in peacekeeping missions mandated by the Security Council itself. That support needs to be flexible, sustainable and predictable. Pakistan also welcomed the Joint United Nations- African Union Framework for an Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, signed in April, between the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the AU Commission.”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“Resolution 2320 (2016), as well as regular consultative dialogues between members of the Council and the AU Peace and Security Council - the most recent one having taken place in May 2017 - are manifestations of that trend. Pakistan believes that the African Union is a critical link between the Council and the challenges being faced in Africa, especially on issues ofpeace and security. That linkage can be utilized through a strategic partnership between the two organizations. The partnership should be based on, inter alia, respective comparative advantage, burden-sharing and consultative decision-making, as identified in resolution 2320 (2016).”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“Similarly, on regional peace and security, it only makes sense for the Council to listen closely to the opinions of Member States of the region concerned. After all, who can better understand the challenges faced by a region than the countries of that region themselves? Chapter VIII of the Charter therefore lays emphasis on a cooperative, interdependent and mutually reinforcing relationship between the United Nations and the relevant regional organizations. As the Secretary-General underlined this morning, that relationship should encompass prevention, mediation and the resolution of conflicts, as well as addressing the root causes of conflicts. The growing dialogue between the Security Council and the African Union (AU) aimed at developing better and more effective responses to peace and security issues in Africa is welcome.”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“We appreciate the initiative by your presidency, Sir, to organize this debate on peace and security in Africa. It is certainly encouraging that a permanent member of the Security Council has convened an open debate on a region that remains underrepresented in the Council, despite the fact that its peace and security continues to be the Council's main preoccupation. We also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and insightful remarks at the beginning of today's debate. The Charter of the United Nations provides that, in matters pertaining to the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council acts on behalf of the General Assembly. It is therefore not just useful but also imperative for the Security Council to take into account the views of the general membership on those issues.”
2017-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8006 (2017) · source
“In conclusion, let me reiterate that as the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) deliberates on the legal, technical and political aspects of the membership of countries that are not party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), it must establish and adhere to transparent, objective and non-discriminatory criteria that ensures equal treatment of non-NPT applicants for the Group's membership, thereby strengthening, and not weakening, the non-proliferation regime. Pakistan's strong credentials as an active partner in global non-proliferation efforts has established its eligibility to become a member of the NSG.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“Pakistan also hosted a two-day regional seminar on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in Islamabad in March 2017, in which representatives from 18 countries and officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the OPCW and INTERPOL actively participated. The seminar also emphasized the key role of assistance aimed at strengthening the implementation of the resolution. However, the real value of such assistance will remain limited at best until we transform the process from one that is donor-driven to the one that caters to the actual needs of the States in need of help and assistance.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“With regard to assistance in particular, our latest implementation report notes Pakistan's readiness to offer assistance, in collaboration with the 1540 Committee, to interested States for capacity-building, technical assistance and training in the following areas: regulatory infrastructure in export controls and the safety and security of nuclear and radioactive materials; commodity identification training for enforcement officials; training for licensing officers; internal compliance; industry outreach and public awareness- raising; and academic and specialized courses in the field of nuclear safety and nuclear security, assistance and protection courses related to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, as well as chemical safety and security.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“It is imperative to leverage the cooperative approach and the spirit of national ownership that resolution 1540 (2004) engenders. Pakistan has been a consistent supporter of the objectives ofresolution1540(2004), and our commitment to its implementation is, we believe, exemplary. We have submitted five national implementation reports, the latest only last month. Over the years, Pakistan has acquired considerable experience and expertise in the safe and secure utilization of nuclear energy, as well as in the application of chemistry and biology for peaceful purposes.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“Anotherkey challenge to long-held non-proliferation norms and rules remains the granting of discriminatory waivers to some nations, thereby creating exceptions based on power or profit motives. Such special arrangements carry obvious proliferation risks and open up the possibility of the diversion of material intended for peaceful uses to military purposes, in addition, of course, to undermining regional strategic stability. With regard to the implementation of the resolution, the importance of staying one step ahead of non-State actors who seek to kill and maim innocent people by using weapons of mass destruction, especially in view of the rapid advancements in science and technology, cannot be overstated. Effective cooperation is the only way to proceed in that matter.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“Some nuclear-weapon States are not willing to give up their large inventories of nuclear weapons or their modernization programmes, even as they pursue non-proliferation with great zeal, purposively ignoring the fact that disarmament and non-proliferation are organically linked. Further progress may be impeded by recent developments, including the fact that one of the five permanent mebers of the Security Council has vowed to greatly strengthen and expand nuclear capabilities by outmatching and outlasting potential competitors. That would renew a nuclear arms race, in flagrant disregard of the basic principles enshrined at the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“Resolution 1540 (2004) has emerged as an important instrument in the global non-proliferation architecture, as it seeks to prevent non-State actors from acquiring or using weapons of mass destruction. It has made a useful contribution to the advancement of our shared non-proliferation goals. While two recent successes, first in the Disarmament Commission and then the agreement reached on objectives and the agenda for a fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, are encouraging. However, other aspects of the disarmament and non-proliferation landscape do not evoke similar optimism.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“Let me begin by expressing the appreciation of my delegation for your personal efforts, Sir, in leading the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and for holding this open debate. I also thank the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and the representative of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for their statements. Pakistan aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. The debate on global efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors is important and timely. It needs to be situated within the larger non-proliferation context.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985 (2017) · source
“We are confident that, whatever our differences in the past, in the end the deep bonds of religion, culture, history and geography between Pakistan and Afghanistan will assert themselves and produce an era of peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation between our fraternal nations.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“All of them face a common threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham and the terrorist groups affiliated with it. Among them, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Jamaat ul-Ahrar target Pakistan from their bases in Afghanistan. Those groups must be rooted out from their bases as part of an effective counter-terrorism campaign in Afghanistan. In conclusion, apart from Afghanistan itself, Pakistan has suffered more from the wars and violence that have engulfed Afghanistan for over 35 years than any other country. No country other than mine would gain more from peace in Afghanistan.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“In Astana earlier this month, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Ashraf Ghani agreed to re-energize Pakistan-Afghanistan cooperation so as to eliminate the menace ofterrorism from our region. They also agreed to revitalize the QCG to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. We urge all parties - in particular the Tehrik-e-Taliban Afghanistan and all its constituent groups - to return to the path of negotiations in response to the call made by the Secretary-General. Pakistan and Afghanistan's other friends can assist in promoting a negotiated settlement. But peace can be negotiated only - only - when the Afghan parties desire it and they agree to eschew a military solution. Today there is every reason for the Afghan parties and their friends to pursue the path ofa negotiated peace.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“On our part, Pakistan's successive military operations have managed to crush or expel all terrorist and militant groups from our tribal territory, which borders Afghanistan. Despite the provocative remarks made by my colleague from Afghanistan, my country remains committed to not allowing its territory to be used for terrorism against any other country. We are implementing border controls, including the fencing and monitoring of vulnerable sections of the Pakistan- Afghanistan border. Any issue relating to cross-border terrorism and cross-border violations can be raised and discussed in the coordination mechanisms, including the bilateral mechanism for intelligence-sharing and cooperation in border management, established in March.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“Continued reliance on a military option or an enhancement in troop numbers without an accompanying political strategy will not produce a result different from the one witnessed in the past 15 or 16 years. It will instead lead to more violence and bloodshed for the Afghan people; it will not yield a political solution. Nor can, in our opinion, the resilience of the insurgency be explained away by convenient references to external safe havens or support centres. Given that large areas of Afghanistan are now under the control of the Afghan Taliban, their safe havens are inside, not outside, Afghanistan. As a country that continues to host over 2 million Afghan refugees, and many more who are undocumented, Pakistan expects the gratitude, not the hostility, of the Afghan Government.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“Over the years, Pakistan has done what it could, when asked, to help facilitate such a negotiated settlement. Pakistan initiated the Murree talks in July 2015, which were scuttled by a series of well-known developments. Thereafter, we sought to resuscitate the talks under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG). Pakistan has continued to engage in all other processes designed to promote a political solution: the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, the 6+1 peace formula, the International Contact Group for Afghanistan, the QCG, the Moscow format of regional consultations on Afghanistan and, most recently, the Kabul process. We believe that the promotion of a political settlement and the pursuit of a military solution in Afghanistan are mutually incompatible.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“Several terrorist groups are now associated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham, including Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, among other terrorist groups. Those violent groups not only threaten Afghanistan and its neighbours, but also pose a global terrorist threat. It has been my country's consistent View that peace can be restored in Afghanistan only - and this I emphasize - through a negotiated settlement between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban. That has also long been the consensus of the international community - one that we saw expressed this morning. A negotiated peace was also the conclusion reached by the Secretary- General following his visit to Afghanistan last week.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“We hope that the political differences that have become more pronounced recently within the Afghan Government will be reconciled by President Ghani Ahmadzai, Chief Executive Abdullah and other political leaders and groups. The continued economic and political support to the Afghan Government from the international community remains essential for the preservation of political amity and the implementation of much-needed governance reforms. Besides internal differences, Afghanistan's security faces a twin challenge: the insurgency led by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Afghanistan, on the one hand, and the campaign of terrorism promoted by the so-called Islamic State, or Da'esh, on the other.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“We thank the Secretary- General for his report (S/2017/508), and Special Representative Yamamoto for his comprehensive briefing this morning. These reports and the Secretary- General's own conclusions following his visit to Kabul last week confirm the growing concern, if not alarm, at the deteriorating political, economic and security situation in Afghanistan. Pakistan strongly condemns the repeated, large-scale and orchestrated terrorist attacks in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan. There can be no justification for the murder and mayhem aimed at innocent civilians. Pakistan is also a principal victim of terrorism. We share the pain and the agony of the Afghan people and wish to work with them to defeat and eliminate the scourge of terrorism and violence from Afghanistan and our region.”
2017-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7980 (2017) · source
“The clear distinction between the established norm of the protection of civilians and the evolving concept of the responsibility to protect must therefore be maintained. Above all, the goal of protecting civilians is best served by preventing the outbreak of armed conflicts in the first place. That entails addressing the root causes of conflicts, finding inclusive political solutions to disputes and seeking peaceful settlements. We believe that the Secretary-General's call for a surge in diplomacy for peace represents a reinforcement and strengthening of that approach. A culture of prevention is, after all, the best assurance we can have for sustainable and enduring peace and security.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“As one of the world's leading contributors of troops to United Nations operations, my country has proudly and conscientiously performed the task of protecting civilians in various parts of the world, including in missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, the Central African Republic and Liberia. Based on our diverse and rich experience, we underscore the critical importance of troop-contributing countries to the process, not just in designing mandates but also in their implementation, review, renewal or change, especially in cases where the situation on the ground has deteriorated rapidly. While the fundamental principles of peacekeeping are not an impediment to mandates for the protection of civilians, the primary responsibility for protecting all civilians nonetheless rests with the host countries.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“The task we have now is to translate that political resolve into tangible action. As a first step, all parties to an armed conflict should unequivocally affirm that health care must be protected in compliance with their obligations under international law, in particular humanitarian law. Criminal prosecutions and other forms of accountability for the perpetrators of attacks on health-service providers are equally essential. The parties to an armed conflict should also ensure safe, unimpeded passage and sustained access for humanitarian personnel. Human misery cannot be mortgaged or sacrificed at the altar of political objectives. The protection ofcivilians must also be prioritized in United Nations peacekeeping operations.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Amid the dark shadows of war and conflict, essential health services, including hospitals and medical personnel, play a critical role both as providers ofvital life support and sustainers ofhope and optimism. Any attack on medical facilities and staff puts lives at risk and exacerbates suffering. It is therefore not only an egregious breach of international law but a betrayal of humankind itself. It is unfortunate that we have witnessed a spate of recent attacks on medical facilities in conflict situations by both State and non-State actors. The culture of impunity for such crimes must end. The Security Council's landmark resolution 2286 (2016) speaks to that imperative by unequivocally condemning attacks or threats against medical and humanitarian personnel who are exclusively engaged in medical duties.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“As a result, the tapestry of armed conflict is increasingly being coloured by the suffering of civilian populations. As the seething fires of armed conflict rage across the world, the international community has confronted the grim reality of growing civilian casualties as well as an ever-greater need for humanitarian assistance and the protection of people displaced by conflict. The plight of the vulnerable, including women and children, remains particularly acute. As the Secretary- General notes in his latest report (S/2017/414), more than 20 million people in conflict situations, including 1.4 million children, are on the brink of famine. This tragedy is compounded by a less-than-adequate global response to the need to address the suffering of civilians in armed conflict.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Pakistan welcomes this open debate on the protection of civilians and health care in armed conflict. We thank the Secretary-General and the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross for their insightful briefings. The protection of civilians in armed conflict is a basic tenet of international humanitarian law. The 1949 Geneva Convention and its Additional Protocols contain specific rules to protect civilians. Yet, despite an established normative framework, compliance is unfortunately sporadic and accountability mechanisms are weak or, in many cases, nonexistent. Non-combatants continue to be treated as fair game by warring parties seeking to further their strategic interests. Collateral damage is still considered a regrettable but inevitable byproduct of conflict.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We believe that the Secretary-General's emphasis on conflict prevention as the core of the global peace and security paradigm neatly dovetails with that approach. Multidimensional peacekeeping missions with protection mandates play a key role in combating violence against women in conflict and post-conflict situations. As a leading troop-contributing country, Pakistan remains committed to this cause. For my country, the protection of the vulnerable, including women and children, is not only a global peace and security concern but an obligation of humanity.”
2017-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7938 (2017) · source