International community should resolve Kashmir issue: Maleeha Lodhi
Lodhi recalled the several unimplemented security council resolutions regarding Jammu and Kashmir.
(Web Desk) – Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations Dr. Maleeha Lodhi on Tuesday has urged the international community to take concrete and meaningful action to alleviate the sufferings of the Kashmiri people.
Taking part in the debate in General Assembly, Lodhi recalled the several unimplemented security council resolutions regarding Jammu and Kashmir issue and reminded the world body of its longstanding obligation in helping to resolve the dispute.
She said that Pakistan is ready to negotiate with India on all the matters including Kashmir issue.
Welcoming the establishment of the Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation, the Pakistani envoy reminded the 193-member Assembly that the Jammu and Kashmir issue was one of the earliest applications of Chapter VI of the United Nations, which deals with pacific settlements of disputes.
In her well-reasoned speech, Ambassador Lodhi also highlighted Pakistan’s achievements in the fight against terrorism, and said that the country’s military campaign had crushed and eliminated terrorist groups from its territory.
In doing so, Pakistan had paid a heavy price, she said, as thousands of civilians and soldiers had embraced martyrdom, and many more were injured. She reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fight terrorism and added that this commitment remained firm and abiding.
Ambassador Lodhi also stressed the importance of addressing the underlying or root causes of terrorism. She cited Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres as saying: “No one is born a terrorist, and nothing justifies terrorism, but factors such as prolonged unresolved conflicts, lack of the rule of law and socioeconomic marginalization can all play a role in transforming grievances into destructive action”.
Defending multilateralism, she said, “Our destiny is invariably tied to rules-based multilateralism, with the UN at its core. For the UN is the only avenue where we, as members of the international community, can find solutions that we cannot resolve by acting alone.”
----with inputs from APP
