NEW YORK (Dunya News) — Pakistan has called on the United Nations to prevent an arms race in the region, stressing the need for negotiations on all outstanding issues, including Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Tahir Hussain Andrabi said the scope of wars around the world was expanding, international law was weakening and restraint was increasingly being abandoned.
Andrabi called for de-escalation in the Middle East, saying mediation between Iran and the United States had resulted in a ceasefire and the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
He said the Mecca defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was defensive in nature and consistent with the United Nations Charter.
The Pakistani envoy said South Asia was facing instability because of India’s aggressive military doctrine, while the region remained under pressure from India’s large-scale military expansion.
He said Pakistan did not seek an arms race but would maintain its defence capabilities according to its needs.
Andrabi also cautioned against assuming that war could be kept under control in the presence of nuclear capabilities.
Reiterating Pakistan’s position on regional disputes, the permanent representative said negotiations should be held on all outstanding issues, including Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.