UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan made an impassioned appeal to the
United Nations on Monday to resolve the decades-old Kashmir dispute with India
by allowing people in the valley to exercise their right to self-determination.
Addressing the UN
General Assembly, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Masood Khan said it was
regrettable that decades after adoption of UN resolutions, the people of Jammu
and Kashmir remained deprived of their fundamental right.
“They continue to face widespread
repression and gross and consistent violations of human rights, which have been
documented by independent international human rights organisations,” he added.
“As for the exercise of
the right to self-determination, Pakistan, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and
the United Nations agree to hold a plebiscite. Only India has to say yes; and
engage with Pakistan and resolve this issue for all times to come,” Pakistani
envoy added.
Mr Khan also referred to
the statement of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the General Assembly in which
he urged the United Nations to remain attentive to the issue of Jammu and
Kashmir and to take steps for the full realisation of the right to
self-determination of its people.
Ambassador Khan said
Pakistan was the worst victim of terrorism, whose sources, strategies and
execution emanated from immediate neighbourhood and demanded that all networks
to destabilise Pakistan through terror be dismantled forthwith.
He said that
discrimination on the basis of religion is one of the contemporary forms of
racism. And that Muslims around the world have become a target of intolerance
and discrimination because of the condemnable terrorist acts by some
individuals and entities.
“Misperceptions have
been spread about Islam, a religion that rejects racism and preaches
tolerance,” he added.
Pakistan extended full
support to the various international initiatives for promoting dialogue,
understanding and peaceful coexistence among all religions and civilisations.
No comments:
Post a Comment