ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: President Mamnoon Hussain has said that Pakistan, as always, stands ready to work with other Member States to support the United Nations in addressing future challenges.
In his massage on the occasion of the ‘United Nations Day’ celebrated annually on October 24, the president said the United Nations Day was an appropriate occasion for the international community to renew its commitment for providing full political support to strengthen the UN to help address future challenges. He said multilateral cooperation was cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
“I reiterate Pakistan’s abiding commitment to the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter,” the president said, adding Pakistan joined the international community in celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
The president said since its inception, the UN had made commendable efforts to advance the cause of international peace and security, development and human rights.
President Mamnoon said Pakistan had traditionally played an active and leading role at the UN in translating those principles and purposes into reality. He said that was clearly evidenced, inter alia, by Pakistan’s enviable contributions to UN Peacekeeping Missions.
Mamnoon Hussain said Pakistan continued to figure prominently among the top troops contributing Countries. Ever since the inception of the United Nations, 172,000 Pakistani peacekeepers had helped maintain and build peace for thousands of people affected by conflicts around the world, he said adding Pakistan paid tributes to its 154 brave soldiers, who had laid down their lives while serving under the blue flag.
Furthermore, the president said peaceful settlement of disputes and universal respect for human rights, including the right to self-determination were among the cardinal principles of the UN Charter. He said the Jammu and Kashmir dispute continued to remain an outstanding agenda item of the UN Security Council for nearly seven decades.
“I wish to call upon the UN Security Council to demonstrate the necessary political will to ensure full implementation of its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The president said the human rights of the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir had been systemically violated by India, particularly since July 2016. He said Pakistan reiterated its call for deployment of an international fact-finding mission by the UN Human Rights Council in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Mamnoon Hussain further said the world was witnessing rapid emergence of new challenges and threats in diverse areas, ranging from global peace and security to climate change. He said sustainable development and fight against poverty, hunger and disease were also some of the challenges faced by the world community.
