UNGA will help Pak present its viewpoint on the core world issues including Kashmir issue, Afghan crisis, Islamophobia & economy: Munir Akram

ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (SABAH): Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Ambassador Munir Akram says the 78th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will help Pakistan present its viewpoint on the core world issues including Kashmir issue, Afghan crisis, Islamophobia, Middle East tensions, environment and economy.

In an exclusive interview with the state-run TV, Munir Akram said different conferences on the sidelines of UNGA, including Sustainable Development Goal Summit, Climate Ambition Summit and Health summits on pandemic prevention, universal health coverage and tuberculosis, will be beneficial for resolving these core issues.

The Ambassador said this is critical time in world’s history as tensions have increased in Asia among big powers and due to COVID and climate change the economic situation of Asian states has worsened.

He said as a developing country, our focus at this world forum will be to ensure financial commitments from northern countries for the developing states, which are facing climate impacts.

Munir Akram said Climate Action Ambition summit will be helpful in putting our demand to the world nations for extending hand against climate adaptation. Being the vulnerable country for climate impacts, we can raise the issue of compensation for loss and damage against climate related deteriorations. In this regard, a decision was made last year and now we want its implementation.

To a question regarding financial pledges made by the world nations to help support Pakistan after the devastating flood of 2022, he said about half of the pledges are being disbursed under different reconstruction projects. He expressed hope that the remaining pledges will also be materialized once we will present the project details at the world forum this year.

The Ambassador said the presence of Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar at this world forum and his meeting with the business community will help attract foreign investment.

He said we will reaffirm our longstanding position on Kashmir that it should be resolved on the basis of UN Security Council’s resolutions.

To another question, Munir Akram said we will present our proposal on strengthening Security Council and role of the General Assembly. The preparatory meeting for the Summit of the Future to be held next year, will also held during this session, which will propose the role of multilateral organizations in dealing international challenges.

Replying to a question regarding Sustainable Development Goals, the ambassador said since the creation of these goals we have incorporated them in our development plans. He said under the legislation of National Assembly, we integrated them in our national development. However, due to climate impacts, pandemic and international inflation the progress on these goals was reversed specifically in developing countries.

On recent G-20 Summit, he said the proposed suggestion on a new corridor is not the proposal of G-20, but of a few states. He said contrary this, China’s Belt and Road Initiative is under implementation process and this proposed corridor can’t be considered as parallel project.