Islamabad:
Pakistan raised concerns about India’s violations of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and UN Secretary -General Antonio Guterres at the UN headquarters on Monday.
DAR emphasized that India’s actions posed a serious threat to regional stability and called on the UN to play its role in ensuring compliance with international agreements. He also highlighted other critical national and regional issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and “external sponsored terrorism” in Pakistan.
The Foreign Minister confirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering and decisive” obligation to multilateralism and the UN’s central role in conflict resolution, sustainable development and protection of basic human rights. The UN Chief appreciated Pakistan’s active presence and initiatives in the Security Council, where Islamabad has the presidency this month.
Dar said Pakistan remained fully engaged in the UN Charter, especially promoting peace through dialogue and diplomacy. He quoted the high-level debate on multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes as well as the meeting on non-OIC cooperation held during Pakistan’s presidency, as a reflection of Islamabad’s obligation to global peace efforts.
When he repeated Pakistan’s attitude towards the Middle East, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, firm opposition to Israel’s annexation plans in the West Bank and unwavering support for Palestinian state.
Both sides also discussed concession financing for developing countries, debt relief and liquidity solutions to the global South. Dar said the Secretary -General’s “UN80” initiative provides an important opportunity to strengthen the UN’s three pillars – peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.
Foreign Minister Dar Dar, who welcomes the appointment of a UN’s special broadcast on Islamophobia, expressed Pakistan’s readiness to support global efforts to fight religious intolerance.
The meeting, according to diplomatic officials, reflected Pakistan’s bid to assert his role as an active player in multilateral diplomacy under his current presidency of the UN Security Council.
Meanwhile, Dar stated that Pakistan is targeting 60 percent renewable energy by 2030 under his address to the general debate on the Ministry’s segment of the UN political forum at a high level (HLPF) in New York, according to a Foreign Office (FO) statement.
According to FO, DAR Pakistan’s obligation to the 2030 agenda of sustainable development and outlined important political measures that drive growth, climate consumption and financial reform at his address.
“The compound effects of pandemic, food, fuel and financing crises as well as intensification of climate impacts have turned hard won development gains and elaborated inequalities,” FM said in his speech.
“Despite these challenges, Pakistan remains fully obliged to achieve the 2030 agenda. Our national development strategies, such as Uraan Pakistan, are in line with the SDGs.”
FM also highlighted initiatives such as the Benazir Income Support program and ‘Living Indus’ and ‘Recharge Pakistan’ initiatives for climate adaptation and renewable energy, FO’s statement reads.
DAR “also emphasized the role of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in adapting foreign direct investments with Pakistan’s development priorities, especially in sectors critical of sustainable growth”.
“Although national efforts are important, these cannot succeed in isolation. As the Secretary -General has rightly highlighted, deep reform of international economic architecture is critical of the implementation of the SDGs,” continued FM.
“Developing countries need upscaled access to concessions and subsidy-based resources, meaningful debt relief and scaled up climate financing to bridge the SDG financing gap.”
