Pakistan

I am honoured to be here today and to represent the brave and resilient people of Pakistan before the Assembly. As participants may know, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, was due to visit New York and address this House. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister could not come owing to the humanitarian disaster caused by the floods in Pakistan. Once again, I feel privileged to be able to deliver the remarks of the Prime Minister to the General Assembly. I bring to Mr. Al-Nasser and to all the nations of the world assembled here salaam, peace and the greetings and good wishes of the people of Pakistan. We are delighted to be able to address the General Assembly under the leadership of Mr. Al-Nasser. This is an important session of the Assembly, and the State of Qatar is a truly deserving and able country for this occasion. The Pakistani people have intimate, brotherly relations with his great country, and I speak for my people in welcoming his presidential term. His election to this high office is as much a tribute to his outstanding qualities as it is to the high esteem in which his country is held in the comity of nations. Why are we here? Other than the allure of New York City, why have we converged at the General Assembly? Pakistan is here because it believes in multilateralism. Each September we return to this great city and this grand stage so that we can restate and reaffirm the principles and values of multilateralism. It is and has been one of the abiding central tenets of our foreign policy. We are committed to the very idea of the United Nations. To us, the idea is very simple. We can do more together than we can apart. We can solve complex problems by consensus rather than through unilateralism. Multilateral cooperation can help us deal with the spectrum of global challenges, old and new, in our interdependent world. As we grow more and more dependent on one another, the space for unilateralism and unidimensional answers to the most difficult questions shrinks. Those who are sceptical of the future of multilateralism are living in the past. The future, our collective global future, is, God willing, bright. It is the United Nations and multilateralism that will safeguard that future. Pakistan believes in the promise of the United Nations: a world free from the scourge of war; a world governed by rules and norms of civility, of decency, of goodwill; creating a better future for the peoples of the world; and inter-State conduct premised on the respect for the immutable principles of the United Nations. We must ensure that the United Nations is the best representation of the aspirations of our peoples. We must do better. There is far too much distance between those aspirations and the sometimes dark realities of our times. We are constantly struggling with difficult choices and cycles: expediency versus values, interests versus ideals. There is conflict, discord and death. Natural and man-made calamities spread fear and destitution among millions, and often exacerbate and expose already unacceptable levels of poverty and deprivation. We face these challenges in every country. We cannot afford to face them alone. The importance of togetherness and of our faith and collective commitment to the ideals, principles and values of the United Nations cannot be overstated. Togetherness, or multilateralism, of course, does not mean uniformity or conformity. It does not mean falling in line. Instead, it means harmony, tolerance, respect for diversity and a pragmatic, cognitive realization that no one system, no single prescription, no one raah, or path, works for all. Each society, every culture offers a path for the march of mankind. Preconceived assumptions about the superiority of one way or the other must not be allowed to contaminate the spirit of the United Nations. 7 11-51681 Pakistan’s oldest spiritual traditions and most beloved poets and peers have taught us that there can be no progress where the mind is divorced from the heart. Faith in the United Nations is a manifestation of the best rational traditions and the most cherished traditions of idealism and believing in something. We believe in the United Nations. The spirit of the United Nations must permeate all our endeavours. The peoples of the world await the advent of the true age of the United Nations. We must reassert our promise to deliver it. I would like to compliment the Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on his tireless efforts in bringing to bear the vast reservoir of goodwill, compassion and common humanity of Member States in successfully addressing a wide array of challenges. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I wish to convey our grateful thanks to the Secretary-General and the international community for their support and solidarity, expressed so generously in the wake of the devastating floods last year. This year again, heavy monsoon rains have caused widespread flooding. Millions have been affected, with about 5.4 million people rendered homeless. Human and economic losses, as well as the pressing requirements of relief and rehabilitation, obliged us to seek international assistance. We again thank the international community for its support and solidarity. The Pakistani people continue to consistently demonstrate their immense reservoir of courage, forbearance and generosity. God willing, we shall overcome this misfortune through the same fortitude and resilience that our people have been blessed with. At this session of the General Assembly, Pakistan is seeking election to a seat on the Security Council. In soliciting the support of President Al-Nasser, I wish to assure him that we would discharge our responsibilities with utmost dedication to the high ideals and principles of the United Nations. Pakistan attaches the highest importance to promoting the goals of peace, security and stability in the world. In our own region, we have relentlessly endeavoured to create an environment of shared prosperity and peace. A democratic, progressive and prosperous Pakistan embedded in a stable, secure and prosperous region guides the framework of our foreign policy and could yield enormous benefits not only for the peoples of our region but for those of the world as well. We have reached out to our immediate neighbours with a sincere desire to join hands in bringing about durable peace and development through a win-win approach. Situated as we are on the crossroads of Central, South and West Asia, we realize the enormous opportunities that ensue from pursuing with diligence the vision of common development and cooperation. I am happy to note that both Pakistan and India are now engaged in a substantive dialogue process that we in Pakistan hope will be uninterrupted and uninterruptible. We certainly intend to make that engagement fruitful and to premise it on the promise of a mutually rewarding enterprise that would enable us to make the best use of the complementarities that exist. We look forward to resolving all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is among the oldest on the agenda of the United Nations and the subject of several Security Council resolutions. A peaceful resolution that accords fully with the aspirations of the Kashmiris is indispensable for durable stability, as is the need to safeguard their fundamental human rights. The reality of a nuclearized South Asia imposes both on Pakistan and on India the onerous responsibility to work together to create mutual confidence, avoid an arms race and enhance strategic stability. We look forward to moving in that direction in the dialogue process. Pakistan is also firmly committed to promoting stability and peace in Afghanistan. We respect and support the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan for reconciliation and peace, under the leadership of President Karzai. We strongly condemn the terror attacks in Kabul, in which many precious lives were lost. We also express our sympathy to our brothers and sisters and the leadership of Afghanistan on the tragic assassination of Mr. Burhanuddin Rabbani, former President and Chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council. Such cowardly attacks will never succeed in deterring our proud Afghan brothers and sisters from realizing the noble goals of reconciliation and peace. 11-51681 8 Pakistan fully supports an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive process of reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan. We want to see Afghanistan as a united, independent and sovereign State. We urge all concerned to join the reconciliation process. We also call for a de-escalation and cessation of violence. The road ahead for peace in Afghanistan and our region as a whole is full of challenges. The complexity of the situation and the ground dynamics need to be analysed objectively and carefully. Clarity and strategic coherence, especially among Afghanistan, the United States and Pakistan, are of the utmost importance. It is for that reason that we attach importance to the work of the Trilateral Core Group. We also attach considerable importance to the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for Reconciliation and Peace. It is only by charting a clear road map that we will be able to bring about the necessary operational policy coordination to achieve our shared goals and objectives. Given the volatility of the situation, it is perhaps understandable that there is a high level of anxiety and emotion. However, we must not lose sight of the goals. We must work together closely and as responsible partners in a cooperative manner, and not rush to judgements or question each other’s intentions. A cooperative endeavour, in full solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, is the only way of ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Pakistan is willing to do its best with international partners and, most notably, the Governments of Afghanistan and the United States, to acquit itself of that high responsibility at this defining moment in one of the most important struggles of our times. Pakistan has always upheld the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to an independent homeland with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Here, I would like to reaffirm our principled position. President Mahmoud Abbas made an historic and memorable case for his people (see ). We stand by him and the Palestinian people. We stand by our brothers and sisters, and we agree that the current situation is no longer sustainable. We support the quest of the State of Palestine for membership of the United Nations. In North Africa and the Middle East, we have witnessed important developments. Pakistan believes that the aspirations of the people must be accommodated peacefully, without external interference and in a manner consistent with the principle of sovereignty, unity and the territorial integrity of States. Very few countries have been ravaged by the monster of terrorism as brutally as Pakistan. We are keenly aware of the threat that terrorism poses to Pakistan, to Pakistan’s neighbours and to the rest of the world. Some 30,000 innocent Pakistanis — men, women and children — have been killed. The ever- valiant Pakistani armed forces have defended Pakistan and the rest of the world, at the highest cost. Our troops have sacrificed 6,532 shuhada, or martyrs. Some 19,190 of our strongest, bravest and most honourable boys have suffered injuries. It does not stop there. We have seen 3,629 of our police and paramilitary personnel embrace shahadat, or martyrdom. Since 2002, 10,720 of those men and women of the police and paramilitary services have been injured. The grieving mothers, daughters, sisters and wives of those brave men and women are a constant reminder of our need to be vigilant and to fight the menace of terrorism. Pakistan’s most popular leader, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated in 2007. Numerous politicians have lost sons, brothers and fathers at the hands of terrorists. Our streets are filled with armed police posts. We cannot enter our parks, shopping centres, churches or mosques without being searched and frisked. Terrorists have attacked our military installations, the grave sites of our spiritual leaders, our minorities and the very idea of Pakistan. If I began recounting Pakistan’s sacrifices and suffering, I would be here till next September. We do not take terrorism lightly. We cannot afford to. We have suffered far too much at its hands. Our nation is united in its determination to eliminate the spectre of terrorism from our soil, our region and the world. It is important to enhance international cooperation to totally obliterate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Our resolve is inspired by Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the legendary poet philosopher, to whom Pakistan owes a debt of gratitude. Iqbal said: “The eagle does not fall from its soaring height If you have the will, there is nothing to fear from adversity” 9 11-51681 Pakistan has the will. We do not fear adversity. It is Pakistan’s firm determination not to allow any space on its territory for militants and terrorists. On the regional plane, we must all pledge that our respective territories will not be allowed to be used by terrorists against others. The issue of organizing, financing, arming, supporting and abetting terrorist violence needs to be addressed seriously and effectively. Notable success against Al-Qaida and its affiliates has been registered in recent years. It is well known that, following the Tora Bora bombing and consequent dispersal of Al-Qaida, it was Pakistan’s intelligence and security agencies that interdicted a large number of Al-Qaida operatives. Very recently, Yusuf Al-Mauritani, the chief operative of Al-Qaida, was arrested in a joint Inter- Service Intelligence and Central Intelligence Agency operation. We must demonstrate complete unity in ranks, avoid any recrimination, build greater trust and, more important, bring about the requisite operational coordination in combating the menace. Otherwise, I am afraid that terrorists are the only ones who will gain. Eliminating terrorism is in our national interest. We believe that our success is critical to regional and global peace and security. Despite our limited capacity and constraints, we have done all that we can towards realizing the vision of a bright future for our people and the peoples of Afghanistan and the region. We have actively advocated and worked for closer regional economic integration. We believe that, unless we prioritize development and create win-win scenarios in terms of mutually beneficial joint ventures in connectivity, infrastructure, energy and trade, we cannot succeed in changing the picture. We need to give hope and provide a silver lining to those who have not seen peace for three generations and have only taken up mercenarism and guns as a means of livelihood. Pakistan’s commitment to eliminating terror and militancy is irrevocable. We believe that action to that end warrants a comprehensive approach that deals not only with the violence, but also its root causes. That requires enhancing international cooperation in multiple domains. Pakistan has reached out to all countries of the world to establish mechanisms and arrangements, including intelligence cooperation, mutual assistance in legal and criminal matters, and joint operations where required. We believe that is a global issue which needs to be addressed effectively. Pakistan supports initiatives to strengthen the United Nations. However it is important not to start anything that could prove divisive or potentially unravel the essential pillars of the United Nations. The process of Security Council reform must be carried out in a manner to reinforce the confidence of the world’s peoples in that body and enhance its credibility and effectiveness. Such reform must enjoy the full consensus of the international community and accord with the fundamental principle of sovereign equality. I remain committed to the vision of Pakistan’s martyred leader, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who reminded us time and again that selective morality is by definition, immoral, and that fundamental human values alone must guide our actions. Pakistan attaches high importance to United Nations peacekeeping functions and is a major troop- contributor to United Nations peacekeeping. Pakistan has consistently been among the top United Nations peacekeeping contributors for many years. We have over 10,000 troops in the United Nations Blue Helmets. We also attach importance to United Nations work in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation. Our collective endeavours in those fields would show more effective results if we could enhance security for all through non-selective and non-discriminatory approaches. Normative work must be premised on principles. We applaud the work of the United Nations in multiple domains. The specialized organizations, bodies and institutions are veritable examples of accomplishments based on shared goals and broadened fields of cooperation. Pakistan played a leadership role in conceiving and piloting the One United Nations Initiative. That is a potentially vital actor in global development and aid effectiveness. Despite the Paris Declaration and its reaffirmation at Accra, we have a long way to go. The One United Nations Initiative in Pakistan has struggled to achieve the lofty goals that it set, but we continue to invest hope in its eventual success. Of course, the most important kind of harmonization is the one that takes place between 11-51681 10 people, between hearts and minds, between nations. We place immense importance on our ability to promote harmony and tolerance among and between societies, cultures, faiths and nations. We know the price to be paid when those values are breached, having lost the Governor of our most populous province, Salmaan Taseer, and our valiant Minister for Minority Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, to acts of violence perpetrated by extremists. For us, the process of harmony and tolerance begins at home, and we take it very seriously. We are committed and our resolve is strong. At the international level, we are confident that the United Nations provides the best global forum, as it is fully equipped to enhance understanding and goodwill among all members of the international community. Respect for beliefs, cultures and traditions are the hallmark of civilized conduct. We are particularly concerned over campaigns that tend to stigmatize Islam and Muslims. Islam is a religion of peace. It is important that the international community celebrate our common humanity and unity in diversity. The systemic fault lines in the global economic landscape have surfaced lately and remain a source of immense concern. The debt and financial crisis added another worrying dimension to the existing disparity between developed and developing countries and highlighted the need to promote holistic development and economic growth. That requires revisiting the fundamentals and readiness to equitably address the underlying issues. As a democratic country committed firmly to the ideals, values and principles of the United Nations, Pakistan will continue to do its best for the cause of global peace and prosperity. Under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Pakistani nation is moving ahead, confident of itself and its enormous capabilities. As a vibrant democracy, we are in the process of accomplishing a historic societal transformation. The challenges our people have dealt with have empowered and emboldened us further. We will remain unflinchingly democratic. We will defeat those that seek to terrorize us. We will empower women. We will protect the weak and the vulnerable in our midst, especially minorities. We will stand up for the weak and vulnerable abroad. We will support the human rights of Kashmiris. We will speak in support of the Palestinians. We will educate our children. We will protect our children. We will face any and all challenges with determination and faith. Most of all, we will be a peaceful and prosperous society. There will be challenges, but we will overcome each one of them. We do not anticipate undertaking that alone. With our neighbours and our friends, we will undertake it all, in a spirit of togetherness and of harmony. We will forge ahead despite the darkness of our times in the spirit that helped to build this great institution. That spirit speaks to the very heart of Pakistan’s identity — it is the spirit of the United Nations. Let us join hands and march forward, for the good of the peoples of our countries and for the good of the world. I will conclude my statement with the words of Pakistan’s founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, which is the quintessential expression of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Mr. Jinnah stated, in a radio broadcast of February 1948: “Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and goodwill towards the nations of the world. We do not cherish aggressive designs against any country or nation. We believe in the principle of honesty and fair play in national and international dealings and are prepared to make our utmost contribution to the promotion of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world. Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending its material and moral support to the oppressed and suppressed peoples of the world, and in upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter.”