UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has called for a comprehensive approach to defeating terrorism by addressing the root causes of conflicts and advocating for the right to self-determination, particularly in regions like Kashmir and Palestine.
In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly Legal (sixth) Committee, Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram emphasized that combating terrorism requires not only addressing its symptoms but also its underlying causes. He spoke during a debate on ‘Measures to eliminate International Terrorism’ and stressed the importance of establishing a legal definition and a comprehensive convention to combat this global menace effectively.
Ambassador Akram urged the new convention to recognize evolving threats, including those posed by white supremacists, far-right extremists, violent nationalists, xenophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Muslim, and Hindutva groups worldwide. It should distinguish between acts of terrorism and legitimate struggles for self-determination by people under foreign occupation.
Pakistan Advocates for Self-Determination Rights of Kashmir
He also highlighted the importance of safeguarding human rights in the fight against terrorism, citing an Amnesty International report that raised concerns about one South Asian country, India, weaponizing the Financial Action Task Force’s recommendations to suppress civil society and journalists.
While acknowledging Pakistan’s significant role in combating terrorism over the past two decades, Ambassador Akram underscored Pakistan’s status as a principled victim of terrorism. Pakistan has endured over 80,000 civilian and military casualties in terrorist attacks, along with severe economic and developmental setbacks.
Ambassador Akram condemned state-sponsored terrorism and cited recent attacks in Pakistan as examples. He called for addressing emerging threats from right-wing, neo-fascist, and Islamophobic extremism while advocating changes to the UN’s counter-terrorism framework to cover hate speech, terrorist narratives, and provocations to violence. He also stressed the need to regulate social media platforms and address cyber tools used for terrorism.
Furthermore, Ambassador Akram proposed the establishment of a commission within the General Assembly to promote the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
Muhammad Jawad Ajmal, a Pakistani delegate, said that the Kashmir issue should be determined through a UN-supervised plebiscite by the Kashmiri people.
Ajmal accused Indian occupation forces of suppressing the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and freedom through a brutal crackdown in the Illegal Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIJOK). He highlighted the alarming death toll and the ongoing challenges faced by the people of Kashmir.
Moreover, Ajmal accused India of sponsoring state terrorism, pointing to its alleged involvement in global acts of violence. He cited evidence of India’s support for terrorist organizations and its spy operations on Pakistani soil.
