“Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including state terrorism. There can be no justification for the killing of innocent people, regardless of the cause or pretext: Said Ambassador Munir Akram, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, during the meeting of the sixth committee of General Assembly on “Measures to eliminate International Terrorism” today.
“Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. We have lost 80,000 civilians and soldiers in terrorist attacks. Pakistan’s counter terrorism operations since 2014 have cleared our territory of terrorist groups. Pakistan has cooperated actively with the international community to defeat global terrorism” said Ambassador while elaborating on Pakistan roles in eliminating international terrorism.
“Our major challenge has been the continued terrorist attacks, financed, sponsored, and supported by our neighbour, India, including from the territory of Afghanistan. The world must act to halt Indian terrorism” he insisted.
He further emphasized the challenges of cross-border terrorism saying that “India is conducting “State terrorism” against the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Since 1989, Indian occupying forces have killed over 96,000 Kashmiris, widowed around 23,000 women, used rape as weapon of war and orphaned more than 108,000 children. Pakistan strongly condemns this state terrorism and demands its immediate end”: he said.
“India has funded, and supported UN Security Council listed terrorist entities to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistani military and civilian targets, including on the Karachi Stock Exchange on 29 June 2020; in Lahore on 23 June 2021; and, most recently, the killing of Chinese and Pakistani engineers in Dasu on 14 July 2021. Apart from the confessions of the captured Indian spy, Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan presented a complete dossier on India’s state-sponsored terrorism to the UN” he added.
“India is financing and organizing mercenary terrorist organizations to destabilize Pakistan and impede our economic growth – as publicly admitted by India’s National Security Advisor (NSA), Mr. Ajit Doval”: he said.
He called the “supremacist Hindutva ideology – as the worst manifestation of Islamophobia and bigotry – where the BJP-RSS government is engaged in a campaign of violence and intimidation against its 200 million Muslim minority. “The RSS, one of the oldest fascist movements in the world, has killed thousands of Muslims in pogroms and targeted killings across India. It was designated a terrorist organization in India in the past. It should be again” he said while expressing Pakistan’s concern over the extremist ideology of RSS.
“Addressing terrorism requires a comprehensive approach, addressing not only its symptoms but also its underlying root causes. These includes prolonged unresolved conflicts, foreign occupation, and denial of the right to self-determination, such as in Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine” Ambassador Munir Akram suggested.
“Unfortunately, since 9/11, despite protestations to the contrary, some have associated terrorism with Islam. This has increased the tendency of right-wing, xenophobic and violent nationalists, extremists and terrorist groups to target Muslims. We strongly condemn the increase in discrimination and terrorist attacks against Muslims in several parts of the world” he clarified.
He further mentioned that “The 7th Review of the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) recognized with deep concern the overall rise in instances of discrimination, intolerance and violence directed against members of religious and other communities in various parts of the world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia and other such prejudices” and called on Secretary General to take appropriate actions in this regard.
“Appropriate changes must be made in the global counter terrorism architecture, in particular to the UN Security Council sanctions regime, to encompass these new and emerging threats and end the stigmatization of Islam and Muslims” he proposed.
“At the same time, the transparency of the UNSC sanctions regimes must be enhanced, including by further strengthening the office and role of the Ombudsperson to the Da'esh and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee”.
Pakistan reiterated the OIC’s position on a consensus-based Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) which, consistent with international humanitarian law and UN Resolutions, clearly differentiates between acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggles for self-determination of peoples under foreign and colonial occupation. Pakistan also fully supported the work of the UNOCT as well as UNCCT.
Pakistan aligned itself with the statements delivered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and by the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
He congratulated the 6th Committee Bureau members on their election and reassured Pakistan delegation’s full support.
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