At UNGA, PM urges ‘proactive, not provocative’ leadership for South Asia

‘Enemy came in arrogance, returned in humiliation,’ Shehbaz

NEW YORK:  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the United National General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday where he maintained that Pakistan had “won the war” against India in May and asserted that South Asia required “proactive rather than provocative” leadership.

On Friday, at the UNGA, the premier began his address saying: “Our world is more complex today than ever before. Conflicts are intensifying, international law is being brazenly violated, humanitarian crises are multiplying, terrorism remains a potent threat, disinformation and fake news undermine trust, climate change threatens our very survival, and more so for countries like Pakistan.”

He added that today, multilateralism was no more an option but the need of the hour.

PM Shehbaz then explained that Pakistan’s foreign policy was based on peace, mutual respect and cooperation.

“We believe in the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy,” he asserted.

The premier recalled that last year, from this very podium, “I had warned that Pakistan would act most decisively against any external aggression”.

“Those words of mine proved true … In May this year, my country confronted unprovoked aggression from our eastern front. Our enemy came shrouded in arrogance, [and] we sent them back in humiliation.

“India sought to extract political gains from a human tragedy by spurning my sincere offer of an independent international investigation into the Pahalgam incident. Instead, it attacked our cities and targeted our innocent civilians. When our territorial integrity and our national security were violated, our response was in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.”

He hailed Pakistan’s armed forces and the military leadership, saying: “Our valiant armed forces, under the stellar leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir mounted an operation of stunning professionalism, bravey and acumen. Repelling the enemy’s attack under Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Babar Sidhu, our falcons took flight and etched their answer across the skies, resulting in seven of the Indian jets being turned to scrap and dust.”

As the premier commended the Pakistani forces and people for their resolve during the escalation with India, the UNGA hall filled with slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” (long live Pakistan) and “Shehbaz Sharif Zindabad” (long live Shehbaz Sharif).

“President Trump’s efforts for peace helped avert a … war in South Asia. Had he not intervened timely and decisively, the consequences of a full-fledged war would have been catastrophic,” PM Shehbaz said. “Therefore, in recognition of President Trump’s wonderful and outstanding contribution to promote peace in our part of the world, Pakistan nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is the least we could do … I think he truly is a man of peace.”

He also thanked Pakistan’s “friends and partners”, including China, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and the UN secretary general for extending diplomatic support to Pakistan during the escalation in May.

“We have won the war, and now we seek to win peace in our part of the world. This is my most sincere serious offer before this august assembly of the world nations. Pakistan stands ready for a composite, comprehensive and result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues,” he said.

PM Shehbaz emphasised the South Asia required “proactive rather than provocative leadership”.

He expressed solidarity with the people of occupied Kashmir, saying that one day, India’s tyranny in the valley would come to a grinding halt.

“Kashmir will gain its fundamental right to self-determination through an impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations,” he said.

Turning his attention toward Gaza, he said the plight of the Palestinian people was one of the “most heart-wrenching tragedies of our time”. “This prolonged injustice is a stain on the global conscious and our collective moral failure. For nearly 80 years, the Palestinians have courageously endured Israel’s brutal occupation of their homeland. In the West Bank, each passing day brings new brutality,” he grieved. Monitoring Desk