Pakistan, 2014

I congratulate Mr. Sam

Kutesa on his election as the President of the General

Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I assure him that

his priorities — the revitalization of the General

Assembly, sustainable development, climate change

and the peaceful settlement of disputes — are also our

priorities. Our delegation will extend its full support to

him in order to achieve those objectives.

I also pay tribute to Mr. John Ashe for his effective

leadership of the General Assembly during its past

session. We commend the Secretary-General’s efforts

to find diplomatic solutions to complex challenges to

international peace and security. We appreciate his

leadership in hosting the climate summit.

Extreme weather patterns are disrupting world

economies. In Pakistan we have directly experienced

such a calamity just recently. The monsoon floods

in Pakistan have had a devastating impact. We are

mobilizing all our resources and ingenuity to provide

relief and to ensure recovery. The international

community should intensify its efforts to move from

awareness to commitments to actions on climate

change, which is wreaking havoc with economies,

particularly in developing countries.

This is a defining moment for the United Nations

as it embarks upon the task of transforming the lives

of billions of people by investing in sustainable

development in the next 15 years. We are setting

ourselves the vital target of eradicating poverty by

2030. To do that, we need to go beyond the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs). We need a new approach

to eliminate conflict and violence and reduce inequality

within and among nations. Only then will we be able

to ensure healthy lives, empower women and girls,

improve the quality of education, create jobs and

guarantee the supply of affordable energy.

The time is ripe for such ambition and action. The

sustainable development goals crafted so far must

be woven into an overarching framework. We must

prioritize them. First things should come first. Peace,

stability and inclusive economic growth — all come

first.

At the national level, we have launched our Vision

2025, which puts people first. It is inspired by our

Founding Father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali

Jinnah, whose vision of a welfare State is based on the

principles of justice, equity and responsibility.

In the coming decade, we will develop human and

social capital through investment in education, health

and gender parity; stimulate sustained economic growth;

prioritize energy, water and food security; modernize

the public sector and encourage private-sector-led

entrepreneurship. We have determined that regional

peace and security, political stability in the country,

the rule of law and social justice are absolutely crucial

for the realization of those goals. Above all, we will

continue to work for the promotion and protection of

human rights.

Energy is key to economic development. Pakistan

co-chairs the Group of Friends of the Secretary-

General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. The

objectives of the initiative are also our national goals.

It is my Government’s aspiration and endeavour to

build a peaceful neighbourhood by pursuing a policy

of constructive engagement. In South Asia, our people

have missed opportunities for prosperity because of

unresolved conflicts. We have a choice today: continue

with the status quo or seize the moment to resolve all

outstanding issues and free up our shared energies for

cooperation. To take this course of high statesmanship,

we need more, not less, dialogue and diplomacy. We

need to respect each other’s rights and sensibilities.

We must have relationships based on equality, mutual

respect and transparency.

We were disappointed at the cancellation of the

Foreign Secretary-level talks by India. The world

community, too, rightly saw it as another missed

opportunity. Pakistan is convinced that we must remain

engaged in the dialogue process for settling disputes

and building economic and trade relations. Let us not

ignore the dividends of peace.

More than six decades ago, the United Nations

adopted resolutions to hold a plebiscite in Jammu

and Kashmir. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are

still waiting for the fulfilment of that promise. Many

generations of Kashmiris have lived their lives under

occupation, accompanied by violence and abuse of their

fundamental rights. Kashmiri women in particular

have suffered immensely. For decades, attempts have

been made, both under United Nations auspices and

bilaterally in the spirit of the Lahore Declaration,

to resolve the dispute. The core issue of Jammu and

Kashmir has to be resolved. It is the responsibility of

the international community. We cannot draw a veil on

the issue of Kashmir, until it is addressed in accordance

with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan is ready to work for a resolution of the issue

through negotiations. Our support and advocacy for the

right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and

Kashmir is our historic commitment and a duty as a

party to the Kashmir dispute.

Afghanistan is going through momentous security,

political and economic transitions. As always, Pakistan

stands in solidarity with the fraternal Afghan people.

I congratulate the people of Afghanistan on the

successful completion of the electoral process. We

extend our warm felicitations and good wishes to the

new Afghan leadership. It is our earnest hope that those

landmark processes will culminate in the emergence

of a stronger, more stable and unified Afghanistan.

We also hope that the process of inclusive Afghan-led

and Afghan-owned reconciliation will move forward,

thereby contributing to greater harmony, stability and

prosperity in Afghanistan.

Pakistan remains committed to forging a deeper

bilateral relationship with Afghanistan on the basis of

equal security and shared prosperity. Our two nations

confront common challenges, which call for greater

cooperation and understanding. In the past year and a

half, we have consciously reached out to Afghanistan to

address difficult issues and build on convergences. We

have made headway in that effort.

Pakistan has launched a massive operation to

eliminate terrorism. Complementary counter-terrorism

measures on the Afghan side of the border are essential

to achieve optimal results.

This past summer, the people of Gaza were

subjected to mass atrocities by Israel. We condemned

the indiscriminate killings of civilians — which

amounted to genocide. From this rostrum, I once again

convey Pakistan’s condolences and sympathies to the

people of Palestine over their continuing plight.

We welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel,

but the next steps must also be taken. The blockade

of Gaza must be lifted, Palestinian prisoners must be

freed and illegal settlements must be halted. The United

Nations should facilitate a just and lasting solution to

the Palestinian issue, based on the relevant United

Nations resolutions.

We call on all parties in Syria to renounce military

and militant means and to hold dialogue to restore peace

and stability in their historic land. The emergence of

new militant entities in the Middle East once again

illustrates that terrorism is a global threat. This

primitive force in Iraq and Syria is an aberration, which

has the sanction of no religion. It must be countered

with unified and resolute will.

We condemn terrorism in all its forms and

manifestations. We are fighting the terrorism that has

been planted on Pakistan’s soil. Our valiant soldiers are

laying down their lives to take out terrorists and tear

down their evil networks. The entire nation is behind

them.

In the past 13 years, as a front-line State, we have

made enormous sacrifices in blood and resources. Tens

of thousands of civilians have been killed or injured. Our

economy has also lost hundreds of billions of dollars in

direct costs and denied investment opportunities. Yet

in that fight, each time a soldier falls, another takes his

place — proudly. It is the resolve of our nation to fight

this scourge to the finish.

At the same time, we have made a plan of action

for the relief and rehabilitation of nearly 1 million

internally dislocated persons. That includes a strategy

to prevent the return and resurgence of militancy and to

create a safe environment for local people.

Pakistan’s strong commitment to peacekeeping

is rooted in our foreign policy and in our belief that

every nation should contribute to the maintenance of

international peace and security. Inspired by that ideal,

Pakistan has maintained high levels of participation

in United Nations peacekeeping and has become the

largest troop-contributing country. We are contributing

more than 1,100 troops to the Central African Republic

operation, despite the dire situation there.

As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, we

will continue to support the objectives of nuclear

disarmament and non-proliferation and pursue a policy

of nuclear restraint and credible minimum deterrence.

Pakistan is not participating in any arms race in the

region. Yet we cannot be oblivious to the emerging

security scenarios and buildup of armaments. We, too,

have the obligation to maintain a robust and reliable

deterrence.

I would like to reiterate the need for an interlinked

mechanism for pursuing nuclear restraint, conventional

equilibrium and conflict resolution. To promote stability,

we are prepared to explore new confidence-building

measures.

Pakistan has maintained the highest standards

of nuclear safety and security. At the last summit at

The Hague that I attended, Pakistan’s recent nuclear

measures, especially the establishment of a centre of

excellence, were appreciated.

Pakistan is a State with advanced nuclear

technology and more than 40 years of experience.

Pakistan is a mainstream partner in the international

non-proliferation regime. Pakistan also has a stringent

national export-control system that is fully harmonized

with international export-control regimes. Though a

non-member, we are abiding by their guidelines.

Pakistan ought to be a part of those export-control

regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Pakistan also qualifies for full access to civil nuclear

technology to overcome its energy shortages and spur

economic growth.

The ongoing reform of the United Nations must be

comprehensive. We support a reform of the Security

Council that reflects the interests of all Member

States — small, medium-sized and large — and not the

ambitions of a few. There should be no new permanent

seats in the Council. That would be contrary to the

democratic character of this world body. We want the

Council to become more representative, equitable,

accountable and transparent.

We meet here today on the cusp of a new era for the

international community. Never before has the United

Nations embraced such lofty goals to banish poverty,

stimulate development, protect the environment and

foster peace, as it will during this session. The future

of our planet hinges on our decisions. Let us deliver

them with full responsibility and wisdom. Pakistan will

assist the Assembly and the United Nations as a whole

to make the world a better place for all humankind.