I congratulate Mr. Sam
Kutesa on his election as the President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I assure him that
his priorities — the revitalization of the General
Assembly, sustainable development, climate change
and the peaceful settlement of disputes — are also our
priorities. Our delegation will extend its full support to
him in order to achieve those objectives.
I also pay tribute to Mr. John Ashe for his effective
leadership of the General Assembly during its past
session. We commend the Secretary-General’s efforts
to find diplomatic solutions to complex challenges to
international peace and security. We appreciate his
leadership in hosting the climate summit.
Extreme weather patterns are disrupting world
economies. In Pakistan we have directly experienced
such a calamity just recently. The monsoon floods
in Pakistan have had a devastating impact. We are
mobilizing all our resources and ingenuity to provide
relief and to ensure recovery. The international
community should intensify its efforts to move from
awareness to commitments to actions on climate
change, which is wreaking havoc with economies,
particularly in developing countries.
This is a defining moment for the United Nations
as it embarks upon the task of transforming the lives
of billions of people by investing in sustainable
development in the next 15 years. We are setting
ourselves the vital target of eradicating poverty by
2030. To do that, we need to go beyond the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). We need a new approach
to eliminate conflict and violence and reduce inequality
within and among nations. Only then will we be able
to ensure healthy lives, empower women and girls,
improve the quality of education, create jobs and
guarantee the supply of affordable energy.
The time is ripe for such ambition and action. The
sustainable development goals crafted so far must
be woven into an overarching framework. We must
prioritize them. First things should come first. Peace,
stability and inclusive economic growth — all come
first.
At the national level, we have launched our Vision
2025, which puts people first. It is inspired by our
Founding Father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali
Jinnah, whose vision of a welfare State is based on the
principles of justice, equity and responsibility.
In the coming decade, we will develop human and
social capital through investment in education, health
and gender parity; stimulate sustained economic growth;
prioritize energy, water and food security; modernize
the public sector and encourage private-sector-led
entrepreneurship. We have determined that regional
peace and security, political stability in the country,
the rule of law and social justice are absolutely crucial
for the realization of those goals. Above all, we will
continue to work for the promotion and protection of
human rights.
Energy is key to economic development. Pakistan
co-chairs the Group of Friends of the Secretary-
General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. The
objectives of the initiative are also our national goals.
It is my Government’s aspiration and endeavour to
build a peaceful neighbourhood by pursuing a policy
of constructive engagement. In South Asia, our people
have missed opportunities for prosperity because of
unresolved conflicts. We have a choice today: continue
with the status quo or seize the moment to resolve all
outstanding issues and free up our shared energies for
cooperation. To take this course of high statesmanship,
we need more, not less, dialogue and diplomacy. We
need to respect each other’s rights and sensibilities.
We must have relationships based on equality, mutual
respect and transparency.
We were disappointed at the cancellation of the
Foreign Secretary-level talks by India. The world
community, too, rightly saw it as another missed
opportunity. Pakistan is convinced that we must remain
engaged in the dialogue process for settling disputes
and building economic and trade relations. Let us not
ignore the dividends of peace.
More than six decades ago, the United Nations
adopted resolutions to hold a plebiscite in Jammu
and Kashmir. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are
still waiting for the fulfilment of that promise. Many
generations of Kashmiris have lived their lives under
occupation, accompanied by violence and abuse of their
fundamental rights. Kashmiri women in particular
have suffered immensely. For decades, attempts have
been made, both under United Nations auspices and
bilaterally in the spirit of the Lahore Declaration,
to resolve the dispute. The core issue of Jammu and
Kashmir has to be resolved. It is the responsibility of
the international community. We cannot draw a veil on
the issue of Kashmir, until it is addressed in accordance
with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan is ready to work for a resolution of the issue
through negotiations. Our support and advocacy for the
right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and
Kashmir is our historic commitment and a duty as a
party to the Kashmir dispute.
Afghanistan is going through momentous security,
political and economic transitions. As always, Pakistan
stands in solidarity with the fraternal Afghan people.
I congratulate the people of Afghanistan on the
successful completion of the electoral process. We
extend our warm felicitations and good wishes to the
new Afghan leadership. It is our earnest hope that those
landmark processes will culminate in the emergence
of a stronger, more stable and unified Afghanistan.
We also hope that the process of inclusive Afghan-led
and Afghan-owned reconciliation will move forward,
thereby contributing to greater harmony, stability and
prosperity in Afghanistan.
Pakistan remains committed to forging a deeper
bilateral relationship with Afghanistan on the basis of
equal security and shared prosperity. Our two nations
confront common challenges, which call for greater
cooperation and understanding. In the past year and a
half, we have consciously reached out to Afghanistan to
address difficult issues and build on convergences. We
have made headway in that effort.
Pakistan has launched a massive operation to
eliminate terrorism. Complementary counter-terrorism
measures on the Afghan side of the border are essential
to achieve optimal results.
This past summer, the people of Gaza were
subjected to mass atrocities by Israel. We condemned
the indiscriminate killings of civilians — which
amounted to genocide. From this rostrum, I once again
convey Pakistan’s condolences and sympathies to the
people of Palestine over their continuing plight.
We welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel,
but the next steps must also be taken. The blockade
of Gaza must be lifted, Palestinian prisoners must be
freed and illegal settlements must be halted. The United
Nations should facilitate a just and lasting solution to
the Palestinian issue, based on the relevant United
Nations resolutions.
We call on all parties in Syria to renounce military
and militant means and to hold dialogue to restore peace
and stability in their historic land. The emergence of
new militant entities in the Middle East once again
illustrates that terrorism is a global threat. This
primitive force in Iraq and Syria is an aberration, which
has the sanction of no religion. It must be countered
with unified and resolute will.
We condemn terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations. We are fighting the terrorism that has
been planted on Pakistan’s soil. Our valiant soldiers are
laying down their lives to take out terrorists and tear
down their evil networks. The entire nation is behind
them.
In the past 13 years, as a front-line State, we have
made enormous sacrifices in blood and resources. Tens
of thousands of civilians have been killed or injured. Our
economy has also lost hundreds of billions of dollars in
direct costs and denied investment opportunities. Yet
in that fight, each time a soldier falls, another takes his
place — proudly. It is the resolve of our nation to fight
this scourge to the finish.
At the same time, we have made a plan of action
for the relief and rehabilitation of nearly 1 million
internally dislocated persons. That includes a strategy
to prevent the return and resurgence of militancy and to
create a safe environment for local people.
Pakistan’s strong commitment to peacekeeping
is rooted in our foreign policy and in our belief that
every nation should contribute to the maintenance of
international peace and security. Inspired by that ideal,
Pakistan has maintained high levels of participation
in United Nations peacekeeping and has become the
largest troop-contributing country. We are contributing
more than 1,100 troops to the Central African Republic
operation, despite the dire situation there.
As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, we
will continue to support the objectives of nuclear
disarmament and non-proliferation and pursue a policy
of nuclear restraint and credible minimum deterrence.
Pakistan is not participating in any arms race in the
region. Yet we cannot be oblivious to the emerging
security scenarios and buildup of armaments. We, too,
have the obligation to maintain a robust and reliable
deterrence.
I would like to reiterate the need for an interlinked
mechanism for pursuing nuclear restraint, conventional
equilibrium and conflict resolution. To promote stability,
we are prepared to explore new confidence-building
measures.
Pakistan has maintained the highest standards
of nuclear safety and security. At the last summit at
The Hague that I attended, Pakistan’s recent nuclear
measures, especially the establishment of a centre of
excellence, were appreciated.
Pakistan is a State with advanced nuclear
technology and more than 40 years of experience.
Pakistan is a mainstream partner in the international
non-proliferation regime. Pakistan also has a stringent
national export-control system that is fully harmonized
with international export-control regimes. Though a
non-member, we are abiding by their guidelines.
Pakistan ought to be a part of those export-control
regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Pakistan also qualifies for full access to civil nuclear
technology to overcome its energy shortages and spur
economic growth.
The ongoing reform of the United Nations must be
comprehensive. We support a reform of the Security
Council that reflects the interests of all Member
States — small, medium-sized and large — and not the
ambitions of a few. There should be no new permanent
seats in the Council. That would be contrary to the
democratic character of this world body. We want the
Council to become more representative, equitable,
accountable and transparent.
We meet here today on the cusp of a new era for the
international community. Never before has the United
Nations embraced such lofty goals to banish poverty,
stimulate development, protect the environment and
foster peace, as it will during this session. The future
of our planet hinges on our decisions. Let us deliver
them with full responsibility and wisdom. Pakistan will
assist the Assembly and the United Nations as a whole
to make the world a better place for all humankind.