UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan did not cast a vote at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on a resolution requesting that Russia remove its soldiers from Ukraine, highlighting the importance of resuming talks between the two nations in order to find a peaceful solution to the current crisis.
The resolution, sponsored by 75 nations, received 141 yes votes, more than the two-thirds majority required to adopt it. Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria were among the seven members who voted against the measure. 32 participants, including Pakistan, China, India, Iran, and South Africa, chose not to vote.
Despite efforts by the co-sponsors to soften the resolution’s tone, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram stated he had abstained because several of its provisions continued to conflict with Islamabad’s fundamental attitude. The resolution was authored by Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, called Dr. Arif Alvi, his counterpart in Pakistan, on Wednesday to ask for Pakistan’s help.
He asserted that Pakistan completely supports the resolution’s call for respecting the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and non-aggression towards other states. The Pakistani diplomat asserted that states cannot be broken apart through the use of force.
However, Ambassador Akram expressed disappointment that these ideals have not always been applied and upheld, citing the ongoing endeavour to illegally and forcibly annex Jammu and Kashmir as one example.
An Indian delegate responded to his mention of the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), but a Pakistani diplomat successfully refuted it.
In his remarks, Ambassador Akram stated that Pakistan likewise supports the resolutions and urges all parties to step up diplomatic efforts to bring about a comprehensive, just, and long-lasting peace in Ukraine.
“As long as hostilities are ongoing, there is a constant threat of the war expanding militarily and geographically. Thus, there is a serious threat to world peace and security.
“Noting that while agreeing with and endorsing the principles and general provisions contained in the draught resolution, some provisions were not consistent with Pakistan’s principled position,” the Pakistani envoy stated.
As a nation that has witnessed and endured the effects of protracted conflict in our neighbourhood, we place the utmost importance on the immediate cessation of hostilities and the resumption of dialogue in order to find a fair and lasting solution through direct or indirect negotiations, mediation, or other peaceful means.
In this regard, he continued, “we see an important role for the UN and Secretary-General, among other things, under Chapter VI and VIII of the UN Charter provisions (pacific settlement of disputes), for efforts aimed at de-escalation, renewed negotiations, and sustained dialogue for a peaceful diplomatic solution.
Ambassador Akram stated that Pakistan “continues to hope that the parties will soon accept a mutual and early cessation of hostilities” and added that “we also hope for the resumption of a dialogue for durable resolution of the conflict based on the principles of the UN Charter and previous agreements, and bearing in mind the legitimate security interests of all States.”
The UNGA restated its demand that Russia immediately, totally, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military personnel from the territory of Ukraine and called for an end to hostilities in the 11-paragraph resolution.
By the resolution, the assembly asked member nations to work together in a spirit of solidarity to confront the war’s global effects on the environment, finance, energy, food security, and nuclear security and safety.
The assembly emphasised the need for measures for a permanent peace to take these considerations into account and urged all countries to aid the secretary-general in addressing these effects.
The emergency session of the assembly had convened on Wednesday to start debating the resolution. Assembly President Csaba Korosi stated that the 193-member assembly, the secretary-general, and the international community have all been vocal and consistent in their calls for an end to this war and adherence to the UN Charter and international law for the past full year.
The resolution further emphasised the necessity for independent national or international investigations and prosecutions for the most severe crimes against international law committed in Ukraine in order to achieve justice for all victims and the avertance of future atrocities.
On Thursday, the assembly also rejected two amendments put up by Belarus, a Russian ally; Pakistan did not vote on those resolutions.
The second proposal would have had the assembly call on member states to, among other things, refrain from shipping weapons to the zone of war. The first proposal would have changed a number of the resolution’s clauses.
