Pakistan's visually impaired diplomat's UN speech lauded
Pakistan's visually impaired diplomat's UN speech lauded
NEW YORK (Dunya News) – Saima Saleem, a visually impaired Pakistani diplomat, has become the first to speak using Braille in the United Nations General Assembly hall.
On Friday, Ms. Saleem, a counselor at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, took the floor to respond to an Indian delegate who made critical remarks after Prime Minister Imran Khan’s strong advocacy of the Kashmiri people’s UN-pledged right of self-determination.
“I congratulate Saima Saleem, my team member, for successfully putting forward Pakistan’s position by exercising right of reply,” Ambassador Munir Akram wrote on Twitter.
Her performance was also lauded by many people on social media.
Earlier, at the United Nations (UN), Pakistani delegate Saima Saleem had firmly rejected India’s claim that Jammu and Kashmir is its integral part. Reacting to the Indian claim, she said Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory.
She said India remains in occupation of an internationally recognized disputed territory whose final disposition needs to be decided in accordance with the democratic principle of a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, as provided for under numerous resolutions of the Security Council.
In a hard-hitting statement made in exercise of her right of reply, Saima Saleem, the Pakistani delegate, said India’s use of the canard of terrorism, regurgitating stale arguments are typical of all occupiers.
“We call upon the international community to take cognizance of the compelling evidence and hold India accountable for the heinous crimes,” she maintained.
