PM urges UN to play role in disputes resolution
27th September, 2013
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has urged the United Nations to play a critical role in disputes resolution and must continue to remain attentive to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and full realization of the right to self-determination of its people.
He was addressing the UN General Assembly session in New York on Friday.
The Prime Minister said the suffering of the people cannot be brushed under the carpet‚ because of power politics. He called upon the international community to give an opportunity to Kashmiris to decide their future peacefully‚ in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
He said the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was presented to the Security Council in January 1948 and yet the issue remains unresolved after nearly seven decades.
The Prime Minister said he has an aspiration for regional peace and stability. He said he shared this vision with leaders in our neighborhood.
He pointed out that shortly after assuming office‚ he received a message of goodwill from the Indian Prime Minister. Mian Nawaz Sharif said he invited the Indian Prime Minister to engage with Pakistan to address all outstanding issues between the two countries. He said Indian Prime Minister's response was positive.
The Prime Minister said the two countries have wasted massive resources in an arms race which could have been used for the economic well being of the people. He said we still have that opportunity and the two countries can prosper together and the entire region would benefit from our cooperation.
Mian Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan stands ready to re-engage with India in a substantive and purposeful dialogue and looks forward to meeting his Indian Prime Minister in New York to make a new beginning.
The Prime Minister said he was committed to working for a peaceful and economically prosperous region. This is what our peace want.
About Afghanistan‚ the Prime Minister said Pakistan supports an inclusive‚ Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process‚ leading to national reconciliation. Mian Nawaz Sharif said during his visit to Pakistan‚ he assured President Hamid Karzai that Pakistan does not wish to interfere in Afghanistan's internal affairs and its has no favorites in that country.
He said Pakistan encourages UN efforts for the stabilization of Afghanistan. We will work together withd Afghanstan for regional and economic cooperation that would establish and reinforce regtional trade‚ energy and communications corridors.
He said a manifestation of our solidarity with the Afghan people has been our willingness to hist millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan for many decades.
In his address‚ the Prime Minister said as a country that has suffered grievously for the past many years‚ Pakistan condemns terrorism‚ in all its forms and manifestations. In the past 5-12 years‚ it has given huge sacrifices‚ in blood and resources. We have lost forty thousand precious lives of men‚ women and children including eight thousand defense and security personnel.
He said there have been colossal damages to social and physical infrastructures as well. Our economy has been denied the opportunity to grow fully. This must change now.
The Prime Minister said he has tried to forge national consensus on a cohesive policy to eliminate terrorism from our soil. We are resolved to oppose the forces of terrorism‚ by all means at our disposal. At the same time‚ we have offered dialogue to end violence‚ wean young extremists off extremism‚ and integrate all segments of our society into the national mainstream. He‚ however‚ said dialogue should not be seen as a sign of weakness or a tool of appeasement.
The Prime Minister said the war against terrorism must be waged within the framework of international law.
He said the use of armed drones in the border areas of Pakistan is a continued violation of our territorial integrity. It results in casualties of innocent civilians and is detrimental to our resolve and efforts to eliminate extremism and terrorism from Pakistan.
The Prime Minister said he has urged the United States to cease drone strikes so that we could avert further casualties and suffering.
Radio Pakistan - PM urges UN to play role in disputes resolution