-Says New Delhi not given walk-over in the UNSC election for non-permanent seat
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said India was facing diplomatic isolation and was at the verge of bankruptcy in the wake of COVID-19.
Giving a policy statement in Senate, he said India had strained its relations with all the regional countries including China and Nepal.
He said India could resort to a false flag operation against Pakistan in the current situation.
He, however, warned that they would give a befitting and immediate response if India cast an evil eye on Pakistan. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the entire nation was united for the security, sovereignty and dignity of the country.
He rejected the impression that Pakistan has given a walkover to India to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He said Pakistan did not abstain but voted against non-permanent membership of India for the unconstitutional steps it took in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir last year on August 5. He said these steps were in complete violation of the United Nations Charter and international norms and said Pakistan is focused to expose Indian sinister designs at world level. Minister for Foreign Affairs said there was a process to become the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. He pointed out that the membership is given on rotational basis for a period of two years. He added that Pakistan and India both have held this seat for seven times each.
India had been campaigning to become non-permanent member of the Security Council since 2013, he said adding that it would not change the stance of the United Nations on outstanding Kashmir dispute. He said the world body stuck to its principled stance on Kashmir and considered it a disputed territory and there were also United Nations Security Council’s resolutions on the lingering dispute. Pakistan has also started its campaign to become the non-permanent member of the UNSC in 2025-26, the minister added.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday rejected the impression that Pakistan gave India a walkover in the latter’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Speaking on the floor of the Senate, he clarified that Pakistan didn’t abstain from voting but voted against India because of its unconstitutional steps in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including the Aug 5 move of Kashmir’s annexation.
Qureshi said India’s steps are in flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international norms.
He said the neighbouring country stands diplomatically isolated and is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the pandemic. India strained ties with all regional countries, including China and Nepal, he added. Shah Mahmood Qureshi once again cautioned that India could resort to a false flag operation against Pakistan. However, he added, Islamabad will give a befitting and quick response if New Delhi casts an evil eye on Pakistan. He said the entire nation is united for security, sovereignty, and dignity of the country.
The foreign minister explained that the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council is given on a rotational basis for a period of two years. He recalled both Pakistan and India have held this seat for seven times each. He said India had been campaigning to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council since 2013. He cleared that India’s election as a non-permanent member of the UNSC will not change the stance of the United Nations on outstanding Kashmir dispute.
