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UNITED NATIONS, Feb 18 (APP):Pakistan Tuesday called for reaffirming the commitment to multilateralism, warning that very fabric of the world order established under the UN Charter was in “danger of being torn apart” unless timely corrective steps were taken.
“We are meeting today at a time of profound global turbulence,” Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, told a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council, convened by China on multilateralism and global governance.
In his remarks, he highlighted the unresolved conflicts in Palestine and Jammu & Kashmir that threaten world peace and stability, and underscored the need for the 15-member Council, the world body’s power center, to implement its own resolutions.
“Nowhere is our failure to uphold the Charter and its principles more evident than in the ongoing tragedy in Palestine – in the vicious military aggression in Gaza, the mass killings of civilians, mostly women and children, in the systematic violations of fundamental human rights, international law, and international humanitarian law,” he told top officials from around the world.
The January 15 ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, Senator Dar said, offers a glimmer of hope, and that all its stages should be fully implemented, leading to a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive political process towards a two-state solution.
“The Jammu and Kashmir dispute is another open wound and an ever present threat to international peace and security,” the DPM/FM said, pointing out that for almost eight decades, Kashmiris have confronted brutal foreign occupation and been denied their right to self-determination, as prescribed by multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
The Security Council, he said, has an enduring responsibility to ensure the implementation of its own resolutions.
“Pakistan will continue to work for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is presiding over the Security Council’s meeting as China holds its rotating presidency for the month of February.
“Under the visionary leadership of President Xi Jinping, China is working actively to address the “multipronged mixed crisis” the world faces today, ” Senator Dar said.
“We – the UN’s Member States – are all in the same boat. We must help each other avoid the threat of a global war, the use of nuclear weapons, the issues of poverty, the existential threat of climate change.”
The Council’s deliberations come at a time of growing concerns about multilateralism, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning that the international community was failing to respond to crises, which is damaging multilateralism. He has called for states to recommit to the UN Charter and to work together to address global challenges.
On his part, the DPM/FM referred to a multitude of interconnected crises threatening international peace and security, economic stability and sustainable development, including wars in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe; prolonged and brutal foreign occupation, resurgent fascism; great power rivalries; a renewed global arms race; the increasing weaponization of cyberspace and outer space, and new and destructive technologies.
“The continued inequities of the global financial system have further aggravated today’s crises,” he noted.
“It is clear that these complex and inter-linked challenges can only be addressed through a renewed recourse to multilateralism, based on universal and consistent adherence to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter – self-determination of peoples, non-use or threat of force, non-acquisition of territory by the use of force, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, non-interference in their internal affairs and pacific settlement of disputes.”
On Afghanistan, Senator Dar said Pakistan continues to face cross-border terrorist attacks especially by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Afghan soil, and was taking all necessary measures to counter these threats.
“The IAG (interim Afghan government) must take decisive action to prevent terrorism within and from Afghanistan,” he stressed. “Despite the cross-border terrorism, Pakistan will continue its engagement with the Interim Government in Kabul, facilitate humanitarian support to the millions of destitute people in Afghanistan and support Afghanistan’s economic and social development.”
Pakistan, he added, has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, sacrificing thousands of lives to dismantle terrorist networks and prevent the spread of extremism.
“All terrorist groups — Daesh, Al-Qaeda, TTP, ETIM, IMU, and emerging right-wing extremist groups — must be opposed with equal determination,” the DPM/FM said, adding that double standards must be rejected.
“Nor should counter-terrorism provide a pretext to suppress the legitimate struggles of peoples for self-determination.”
Senator Dar also underscored the need for strengthening the structures of the UN– not dismantling them.
“To address the challenges of the 21st century, we must reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and undertake comprehensive reforms of the global governance architecture, refine and reinforce multilateralism to deliver optimum outcomes,” he said.
No country should presume to have greater stature or influence than others. Respect for justice and equity is an essential precondition for peace and harmony among nations.”
To this end, the DPM/FM proposed the following:
— The Pact for the Future, approved by the world leaders last year, promises stronger international action for peace and security. ‘Zero tolerance’ policy for violations of the UN Charter must be adopted. The Council should promote the peaceful settlement of disputes, resolve and not merely manage conflicts;
— The UN Security Council must become more democratic, representative, and accountable, with the small and medium States must be fully and adequately represented. Adding new permanent members would violate the principle of sovereign equality, make the Council even less representative and exacerbate the prospects of paralysis in the Security Council;
— The General Assembly, as the world’s most representative body, must play a greater role in global decision-making. Its mandates and resolutions must be respected; and its effectiveness and efficiency enhanced;
— Global financial and economic governance must be made more equitable and democratic, as the current system is unjust, favouring the rich while trapping developing nations in a cycle of poverty and debt. The IMF and World Bank must ensure adequate and concessional development financing, debt relief and allocation of special drawing rights (SDRs), and,
— The rapid advancement of science and technology, especially artificial intelligence, poses new challenges. International regulations are urgently needed to ensure these technologies serve peaceful and beneficial purposes, and do not deepen global inequalities and do not intensify the threats to peace and security.
In conclusion, the DPM/FM said, “A just, peaceful, and prosperous world requires a strong, effective, and truly representative multilateral system, one that upholds the UN Charter, defends human rights and ensures equitable development for all.”