Pakistan, 2011

I am honoured to be here

today and to represent the brave and resilient people of

Pakistan before the Assembly. As participants may

know, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Syed Yusuf

Raza Gilani, was due to visit New York and address

this House. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister could

not come owing to the humanitarian disaster caused by

the floods in Pakistan. Once again, I feel privileged to

be able to deliver the remarks of the Prime Minister to

the General Assembly.

I bring to Mr. Al-Nasser and to all the nations of

the world assembled here salaam, peace and the

greetings and good wishes of the people of Pakistan.

We are delighted to be able to address the General

Assembly under the leadership of Mr. Al-Nasser. This

is an important session of the Assembly, and the State

of Qatar is a truly deserving and able country for this

occasion. The Pakistani people have intimate, brotherly

relations with his great country, and I speak for my

people in welcoming his presidential term. His election

to this high office is as much a tribute to his

outstanding qualities as it is to the high esteem in

which his country is held in the comity of nations.

Why are we here? Other than the allure of New

York City, why have we converged at the General

Assembly? Pakistan is here because it believes in

multilateralism. Each September we return to this great

city and this grand stage so that we can restate and

reaffirm the principles and values of multilateralism. It

is and has been one of the abiding central tenets of our

foreign policy. We are committed to the very idea of

the United Nations.

To us, the idea is very simple. We can do more

together than we can apart. We can solve complex

problems by consensus rather than through

unilateralism. Multilateral cooperation can help us deal

with the spectrum of global challenges, old and new, in

our interdependent world. As we grow more and more

dependent on one another, the space for unilateralism

and unidimensional answers to the most difficult

questions shrinks. Those who are sceptical of the future

of multilateralism are living in the past. The future, our

collective global future, is, God willing, bright. It is the

United Nations and multilateralism that will safeguard

that future.

Pakistan believes in the promise of the United

Nations: a world free from the scourge of war; a world

governed by rules and norms of civility, of decency, of

goodwill; creating a better future for the peoples of the

world; and inter-State conduct premised on the respect

for the immutable principles of the United Nations. We

must ensure that the United Nations is the best

representation of the aspirations of our peoples.

We must do better. There is far too much distance

between those aspirations and the sometimes dark

realities of our times. We are constantly struggling with

difficult choices and cycles: expediency versus values,

interests versus ideals. There is conflict, discord and

death. Natural and man-made calamities spread fear

and destitution among millions, and often exacerbate

and expose already unacceptable levels of poverty and

deprivation. We face these challenges in every country.

We cannot afford to face them alone. The importance

of togetherness and of our faith and collective

commitment to the ideals, principles and values of the

United Nations cannot be overstated.

Togetherness, or multilateralism, of course, does

not mean uniformity or conformity. It does not mean

falling in line. Instead, it means harmony, tolerance,

respect for diversity and a pragmatic, cognitive

realization that no one system, no single prescription,

no one raah, or path, works for all. Each society, every

culture offers a path for the march of mankind.

Preconceived assumptions about the superiority of one

way or the other must not be allowed to contaminate

the spirit of the United Nations.

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Pakistan’s oldest spiritual traditions and most

beloved poets and peers have taught us that there can

be no progress where the mind is divorced from the

heart. Faith in the United Nations is a manifestation of

the best rational traditions and the most cherished

traditions of idealism and believing in something. We

believe in the United Nations. The spirit of the United

Nations must permeate all our endeavours. The peoples

of the world await the advent of the true age of the

United Nations. We must reassert our promise to

deliver it.

I would like to compliment the Secretary-

General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on his tireless efforts in

bringing to bear the vast reservoir of goodwill,

compassion and common humanity of Member States

in successfully addressing a wide array of challenges.

On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I wish to

convey our grateful thanks to the Secretary-General

and the international community for their support and

solidarity, expressed so generously in the wake of the

devastating floods last year.

This year again, heavy monsoon rains have

caused widespread flooding. Millions have been

affected, with about 5.4 million people rendered

homeless. Human and economic losses, as well as the

pressing requirements of relief and rehabilitation,

obliged us to seek international assistance. We again

thank the international community for its support and

solidarity.

The Pakistani people continue to consistently

demonstrate their immense reservoir of courage,

forbearance and generosity. God willing, we shall

overcome this misfortune through the same fortitude

and resilience that our people have been blessed with.

At this session of the General Assembly, Pakistan

is seeking election to a seat on the Security Council. In

soliciting the support of President Al-Nasser, I wish to

assure him that we would discharge our responsibilities

with utmost dedication to the high ideals and principles

of the United Nations.

Pakistan attaches the highest importance to

promoting the goals of peace, security and stability in

the world. In our own region, we have relentlessly

endeavoured to create an environment of shared

prosperity and peace. A democratic, progressive and

prosperous Pakistan embedded in a stable, secure and

prosperous region guides the framework of our foreign

policy and could yield enormous benefits not only for

the peoples of our region but for those of the world as

well.

We have reached out to our immediate

neighbours with a sincere desire to join hands in

bringing about durable peace and development through

a win-win approach. Situated as we are on the

crossroads of Central, South and West Asia, we realize

the enormous opportunities that ensue from pursuing

with diligence the vision of common development and

cooperation.

I am happy to note that both Pakistan and India

are now engaged in a substantive dialogue process that

we in Pakistan hope will be uninterrupted and

uninterruptible. We certainly intend to make that

engagement fruitful and to premise it on the promise of

a mutually rewarding enterprise that would enable us

to make the best use of the complementarities that

exist.

We look forward to resolving all outstanding

issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,

which is among the oldest on the agenda of the United

Nations and the subject of several Security Council

resolutions. A peaceful resolution that accords fully

with the aspirations of the Kashmiris is indispensable

for durable stability, as is the need to safeguard their

fundamental human rights.

The reality of a nuclearized South Asia imposes

both on Pakistan and on India the onerous

responsibility to work together to create mutual

confidence, avoid an arms race and enhance strategic

stability. We look forward to moving in that direction

in the dialogue process.

Pakistan is also firmly committed to promoting

stability and peace in Afghanistan. We respect and

support the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan

for reconciliation and peace, under the leadership of

President Karzai.

We strongly condemn the terror attacks in Kabul,

in which many precious lives were lost. We also

express our sympathy to our brothers and sisters and

the leadership of Afghanistan on the tragic

assassination of Mr. Burhanuddin Rabbani, former

President and Chairman of the Afghan High Peace

Council. Such cowardly attacks will never succeed in

deterring our proud Afghan brothers and sisters from

realizing the noble goals of reconciliation and peace.

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Pakistan fully supports an Afghan-led and

Afghan-owned inclusive process of reconciliation and

peace in Afghanistan. We want to see Afghanistan as a

united, independent and sovereign State. We urge all

concerned to join the reconciliation process. We also

call for a de-escalation and cessation of violence.

The road ahead for peace in Afghanistan and our

region as a whole is full of challenges. The complexity

of the situation and the ground dynamics need to be

analysed objectively and carefully. Clarity and

strategic coherence, especially among Afghanistan, the

United States and Pakistan, are of the utmost

importance. It is for that reason that we attach

importance to the work of the Trilateral Core Group.

We also attach considerable importance to the

Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for

Reconciliation and Peace.

It is only by charting a clear road map that we

will be able to bring about the necessary operational

policy coordination to achieve our shared goals and

objectives. Given the volatility of the situation, it is

perhaps understandable that there is a high level of

anxiety and emotion. However, we must not lose sight

of the goals. We must work together closely and as

responsible partners in a cooperative manner, and not

rush to judgements or question each other’s intentions.

A cooperative endeavour, in full solidarity with

the people of Afghanistan, is the only way of ensuring

peace, stability and prosperity in the region. Pakistan is

willing to do its best with international partners and,

most notably, the Governments of Afghanistan and the

United States, to acquit itself of that high responsibility

at this defining moment in one of the most important

struggles of our times.

Pakistan has always upheld the realization of the

inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including

their right to an independent homeland with Al-Quds

Al-Sharif as its capital. Here, I would like to reaffirm

our principled position. President Mahmoud Abbas

made an historic and memorable case for his people

(see ). We stand by him and the Palestinian

people. We stand by our brothers and sisters, and we

agree that the current situation is no longer sustainable.

We support the quest of the State of Palestine for

membership of the United Nations.

In North Africa and the Middle East, we have

witnessed important developments. Pakistan believes

that the aspirations of the people must be

accommodated peacefully, without external

interference and in a manner consistent with the

principle of sovereignty, unity and the territorial

integrity of States.

Very few countries have been ravaged by the

monster of terrorism as brutally as Pakistan. We are

keenly aware of the threat that terrorism poses to

Pakistan, to Pakistan’s neighbours and to the rest of the

world. Some 30,000 innocent Pakistanis — men,

women and children — have been killed. The ever-

valiant Pakistani armed forces have defended Pakistan

and the rest of the world, at the highest cost. Our

troops have sacrificed 6,532 shuhada, or martyrs.

Some 19,190 of our strongest, bravest and most

honourable boys have suffered injuries. It does not stop

there. We have seen 3,629 of our police and

paramilitary personnel embrace shahadat, or

martyrdom. Since 2002, 10,720 of those men and

women of the police and paramilitary services have

been injured.

The grieving mothers, daughters, sisters and

wives of those brave men and women are a constant

reminder of our need to be vigilant and to fight the

menace of terrorism. Pakistan’s most popular leader,

Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated

in 2007. Numerous politicians have lost sons, brothers

and fathers at the hands of terrorists. Our streets are

filled with armed police posts. We cannot enter our

parks, shopping centres, churches or mosques without

being searched and frisked. Terrorists have attacked

our military installations, the grave sites of our

spiritual leaders, our minorities and the very idea of

Pakistan. If I began recounting Pakistan’s sacrifices

and suffering, I would be here till next September. We

do not take terrorism lightly. We cannot afford to. We

have suffered far too much at its hands.

Our nation is united in its determination to

eliminate the spectre of terrorism from our soil, our

region and the world. It is important to enhance

international cooperation to totally obliterate terrorism

in all its forms and manifestations.

Our resolve is inspired by Allama Muhammad

Iqbal, the legendary poet philosopher, to whom

Pakistan owes a debt of gratitude. Iqbal said:

“The eagle does not fall from its soaring height

If you have the will, there is nothing to fear from

adversity”

9 11-51681

Pakistan has the will. We do not fear adversity. It

is Pakistan’s firm determination not to allow any space

on its territory for militants and terrorists. On the

regional plane, we must all pledge that our respective

territories will not be allowed to be used by terrorists

against others.

The issue of organizing, financing, arming,

supporting and abetting terrorist violence needs to be

addressed seriously and effectively. Notable success

against Al-Qaida and its affiliates has been registered

in recent years. It is well known that, following the

Tora Bora bombing and consequent dispersal of

Al-Qaida, it was Pakistan’s intelligence and security

agencies that interdicted a large number of Al-Qaida

operatives. Very recently, Yusuf Al-Mauritani, the chief

operative of Al-Qaida, was arrested in a joint Inter-

Service Intelligence and Central Intelligence Agency

operation.

We must demonstrate complete unity in ranks,

avoid any recrimination, build greater trust and, more

important, bring about the requisite operational

coordination in combating the menace. Otherwise, I am

afraid that terrorists are the only ones who will gain.

Eliminating terrorism is in our national interest. We

believe that our success is critical to regional and

global peace and security.

Despite our limited capacity and constraints, we

have done all that we can towards realizing the vision

of a bright future for our people and the peoples of

Afghanistan and the region. We have actively

advocated and worked for closer regional economic

integration. We believe that, unless we prioritize

development and create win-win scenarios in terms of

mutually beneficial joint ventures in connectivity,

infrastructure, energy and trade, we cannot succeed in

changing the picture. We need to give hope and provide

a silver lining to those who have not seen peace for

three generations and have only taken up mercenarism

and guns as a means of livelihood.

Pakistan’s commitment to eliminating terror and

militancy is irrevocable. We believe that action to that

end warrants a comprehensive approach that deals not

only with the violence, but also its root causes. That

requires enhancing international cooperation in

multiple domains.

Pakistan has reached out to all countries of the

world to establish mechanisms and arrangements,

including intelligence cooperation, mutual assistance in

legal and criminal matters, and joint operations where

required. We believe that is a global issue which needs

to be addressed effectively.

Pakistan supports initiatives to strengthen the

United Nations. However it is important not to start

anything that could prove divisive or potentially

unravel the essential pillars of the United Nations. The

process of Security Council reform must be carried out

in a manner to reinforce the confidence of the world’s

peoples in that body and enhance its credibility and

effectiveness. Such reform must enjoy the full

consensus of the international community and accord

with the fundamental principle of sovereign equality.

I remain committed to the vision of Pakistan’s

martyred leader, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,

who reminded us time and again that selective morality

is by definition, immoral, and that fundamental human

values alone must guide our actions.

Pakistan attaches high importance to United

Nations peacekeeping functions and is a major troop-

contributor to United Nations peacekeeping. Pakistan

has consistently been among the top United Nations

peacekeeping contributors for many years. We have

over 10,000 troops in the United Nations Blue

Helmets.

We also attach importance to United Nations

work in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation.

Our collective endeavours in those fields would show

more effective results if we could enhance security for

all through non-selective and non-discriminatory

approaches. Normative work must be premised on

principles.

We applaud the work of the United Nations in

multiple domains. The specialized organizations,

bodies and institutions are veritable examples of

accomplishments based on shared goals and broadened

fields of cooperation. Pakistan played a leadership role

in conceiving and piloting the One United Nations

Initiative. That is a potentially vital actor in global

development and aid effectiveness. Despite the Paris

Declaration and its reaffirmation at Accra, we have a

long way to go. The One United Nations Initiative in

Pakistan has struggled to achieve the lofty goals that it

set, but we continue to invest hope in its eventual

success.

Of course, the most important kind of

harmonization is the one that takes place between

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people, between hearts and minds, between nations. We

place immense importance on our ability to promote

harmony and tolerance among and between societies,

cultures, faiths and nations. We know the price to be

paid when those values are breached, having lost the

Governor of our most populous province, Salmaan

Taseer, and our valiant Minister for Minority Affairs,

Shahbaz Bhatti, to acts of violence perpetrated by

extremists. For us, the process of harmony and

tolerance begins at home, and we take it very seriously.

We are committed and our resolve is strong.

At the international level, we are confident that

the United Nations provides the best global forum, as it

is fully equipped to enhance understanding and

goodwill among all members of the international

community. Respect for beliefs, cultures and traditions

are the hallmark of civilized conduct. We are

particularly concerned over campaigns that tend to

stigmatize Islam and Muslims. Islam is a religion of

peace. It is important that the international community

celebrate our common humanity and unity in diversity.

The systemic fault lines in the global economic

landscape have surfaced lately and remain a source of

immense concern. The debt and financial crisis added

another worrying dimension to the existing disparity

between developed and developing countries and

highlighted the need to promote holistic development

and economic growth. That requires revisiting the

fundamentals and readiness to equitably address the

underlying issues.

As a democratic country committed firmly to the

ideals, values and principles of the United Nations,

Pakistan will continue to do its best for the cause of

global peace and prosperity. Under the leadership of

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed

Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Pakistani nation is moving

ahead, confident of itself and its enormous capabilities.

As a vibrant democracy, we are in the process of

accomplishing a historic societal transformation. The

challenges our people have dealt with have empowered

and emboldened us further.

We will remain unflinchingly democratic. We will

defeat those that seek to terrorize us. We will empower

women. We will protect the weak and the vulnerable in

our midst, especially minorities. We will stand up for

the weak and vulnerable abroad. We will support the

human rights of Kashmiris. We will speak in support of

the Palestinians. We will educate our children. We will

protect our children. We will face any and all

challenges with determination and faith. Most of all,

we will be a peaceful and prosperous society. There

will be challenges, but we will overcome each one of

them.

We do not anticipate undertaking that alone. With

our neighbours and our friends, we will undertake it

all, in a spirit of togetherness and of harmony. We will

forge ahead despite the darkness of our times in the

spirit that helped to build this great institution. That

spirit speaks to the very heart of Pakistan’s identity —

it is the spirit of the United Nations. Let us join hands

and march forward, for the good of the peoples of our

countries and for the good of the world.

I will conclude my statement with the words of

Pakistan’s founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad

Ali Jinnah, which is the quintessential expression of

Pakistan’s foreign policy. Mr. Jinnah stated, in a radio

broadcast of February 1948:

“Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and

goodwill towards the nations of the world. We do

not cherish aggressive designs against any

country or nation. We believe in the principle of

honesty and fair play in national and international

dealings and are prepared to make our utmost

contribution to the promotion of peace and

prosperity among the nations of the world.

Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending

its material and moral support to the oppressed

and suppressed peoples of the world, and in

upholding the principles of the United Nations

Charter.”