Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Maleeha Lodhi has called non-implementation of long-standing UN Security Council’s (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir a “travesty of law and morality”.
Speaking in a debate on the “Right to Self-determination and Elimination of Racism”, Lodhi told the General Assembly’s Third Committee that the continued suffering of Kashmiri women, children and men “should shake the collective conscience of the international community”.
She emphaised the urgent need to fulfill the long-held promise of self-determination to the Kashmiri people and said that this was necessary for peace and stability in South Asia.
Ambassador Lodhi also reminded UN of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s statement during the UN General Debate regarding Kashmir dispute, “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also stated that the Kashmiri people were an integral part of the dispute and consultations with them were essential to reach a peaceful settlement,” she said. “He had characterised the Kashmir dispute as ‘the most persistent failure of the United Nations’.” she added.
The Pakistani envoy said that UNSC resolutions on the disputed region of Kashmir pronounced that the future status of the region would be decided through the democratic means of “a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices”.
But she regretted that these resolutions, which were supported by Pakistan, India and the international community “still await implementation”.
“Generation after generation of Kashmiris have seen only broken pledges and ruthless oppression,” she told the world body.
“Over 100,000 have died in their struggle for self-determination,” she added.
Maliha underlined that the 70th anniversary of the UN ought to be a catalyst spurring the body into action.
Maleeha Lodhi also told UN that Pakistan was firmly opposed to all forms of racism, xenophobia and religious intolerance.
She said that a contemporary form of racism is religious intolerance and discrimination on the basis of religion, calling for urgent steps to reverse this disturbing new trend.
