{"id":29009,"date":"2020-03-16T16:11:48","date_gmt":"2020-03-16T11:11:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/?p=29009"},"modified":"2020-03-16T16:11:48","modified_gmt":"2020-03-16T11:11:48","slug":"un-secretary-generals-visit-pakistans-new-global-image","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/pakistan-affairs\/un-secretary-generals-visit-pakistans-new-global-image\/","title":{"rendered":"UN Secretary-General\u2019s Visit Pakistan\u2019s New Global Image"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"UN<\/a><\/p>\n

UN Secretary-General\u2019s Visit<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Pakistan\u2019s New Global Image<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Shamshad Ahmad<\/span><\/p>\n

For decades, having been on the top of many negative lists including those of world\u2019s most dangerous, most violent, most unsafe and most corrupt countries on earth, it was indeed heartening to see Pakistan being hailed by UN Secretary-General, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, as a \u2018trustworthy and benevolent nation\u2019 committed to peace and security regionally as well as globally. Not too long ago, Pakistan\u2019s recognition in the comity of nations was only as a \u2018breeding ground\u2019 for religious extremism and militancy, and as a country afflicted with terrorism. Every act of violence anywhere in the world was traced back to our country in one way or the other.<\/p>\n

Pakistan’s name instantly raised fear and concern. We were seen both as the problem and the key to its solution. For the first time in decades, we heard all the good things about our country during UN chief\u2019s four-day visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Secretary-General Guterres was the chief guest and keynote speaker at an International Conference on \u201840 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees in Pakistan\u2019. His presence at this conference was itself a recognition of Pakistan\u2019s generosity and resolve in hosting Afghan refugees for the past four decades, and also appreciation of its efforts for Afghan peace and stability.\"e4b61310155748b18bfe95a96729da7c\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On this occasion, he acknowledged loud and clear: \u201cHere in Pakistan, we see solidarity in action. Despite Pakistan’s own challenges, it has protected afghan refugees with the limited support from international community. One can imagine how unstable the region might have been without Pakistan\u2019s stellar contribution.\u201d During his visit, Secretary-General Guterres also delivered special talks on UN\u2019s three key areas of current focus, namely, sustainable development, climate change and peacekeeping. At all these events, he was all praise for Pakistan. He especially lauded Pakistan\u2019s singular contribution to UN peacekeeping operations through its valiant soldiers.\"facebook_post_image_1581833433\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For the first time in decades, we heard a top world diplomat acknowledging Pakistan\u2019s role and relevance regionally as well as globally. His script was indeed music to our ears. The world should step back and look at Pakistan through a wider frame was the most remarkable message that the UN Secretary-General sent across the world at his press conference in Islamabad. He praised Pakistan for its commitment to peace, for its generosity in hosting millions of Afghan refugees, for its role in Afghan peace, for its contribution to multilateralism, to the United Nations and UN peacekeeping operations, sustainable development and on climate change issues.\"ERHmX9OXkAEtaXp\"<\/a><\/p>\n

All these compliments were being heaped on Pakistan in the backdrop of India\u2019s Narendra Modi constantly smelling blood in the region. UN Secretary-General\u2019s visit to Lahore and Kartarpur was indeed a curtain raiser for him on Pakistan\u2019s history as well as on its new identity. After his visits to Kartarpur Shrine and a Sikh Temple, as well as Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, he seemed moved by the show of religious unity that he witnessed in Pakistan. Guterres called the Kartarpur Corridor a \u201ccorridor of hope\u201d and said: \u201cWhen we see so many parts of the world fighting in the name of religion, it\u2019s necessary to say that religions unite us for peace and the best symbol is this shrine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lauding Pakistan’s rich culture, the UN chief thanked the people of Pakistan in a tweet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI concluded my visit to Pakistan after enjoying the rich history and vibrant culture of Lahore\u2014from the Lahore Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the majestic Badshahi mosque,\u201d the UN chief tweeted. \u201cThis is a very emotional moment. It is wonderful to see interfaith dialogue\u201d said the Secretary-General, on the last leg of his visit to Pakistan. No wonder, this visit was not a mere protocol event; it marked a real diplomatic plus for Pakistan which, it seems, is beginning to find its new place in the comity of nations as a peaceful, tolerant and responsible state.\"President=4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Among his meetings with Pakistani dignitaries, the most important was the one he had with Prime Minister Imran Khan whose personality has been largely instrumental in bringing about the change in world\u2019s perception of Pakistan. No diplomacy at any level could yield this change. In his meeting with the Secretary-General, Prime Minister Imran Khan briefed him on all aspects of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, especially the situation arising from India\u2019s military vandalism and aggression in the occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir. Since August of last year, occupied Kashmir has been turned into an open-air prison, not unlike Gaza, with a crippling lockdown.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Imran Khan minced no words in urging the UN to seriously involve itself in averting a human disaster in Kashmir which has been under siege for more than six months now and needs UN\u2019s help in its ordeal under a complete military shutdown with no access to the outside world. Promotion and protection of human rights is a global responsibility which the United Nations must discharge in respect of the people of Kashmir who are facing the worst holocaust of the 21st<\/sup> century. The prospect of an impending genocide in occupied Kashmir is a clarion call to the world community to act now, before it is too late. The UN must intervene to prevent mass murder in Kashmir.<\/p>\n

\"UN<\/a><\/p>\n

The world must also not ignore Imran Khan\u2019s warnings that this time an India-Pakistan conflict could erupt into a nuclear apocalypse that must be averted at all costs. On his part, Secretary-General Guterres was forthright in speaking out on the gravity of the situation. He expressed \u201cdeep concern\u201d over aggravating India-Pakistan tensions, calling for India to respect \u201chuman rights and fundamental freedoms\u201d when dealing with discontent in the occupied territory. \u201cI have repeatedly stressed the importance of exercising maximum restraint and taking steps to de-escalate both militarily and verbally, while reiterating my offer to exercise my good offices should both sides ask,\u201d he said. He also reiterated UN position on Kashmir as governed by the UN Charter on peaceful settlement of disputes and by relevant Security Council resolutions.<\/p>\n

All said and done, UN Secretary-General\u2019s visit to Pakistan was a good opportunity not only to project a positive image of Pakistan but also to flag to the world community that no matter what the Indians claim, beyond UN Security Council\u2019s resolutions, there is no compact formula or tailor-made solution for resolving the long-outstanding Kashmir issue. But India has thwarted all attempts by the United Nations to organize a plebiscite in the State. But that does not exonerate the UN of its Charter responsibility.<\/p>\n

\"U.N.<\/a><\/p>\n

There are many things the UN can do at least to alleviate the Kashmiris\u2019 suffering. But no matter how well-meaning the UN Secretary-General may have been in whatever he said in Pakistan, we should have no illusions on the UN\u2019s capacity to deliver on its Charter obligations or on Security Council resolutions. The \u201coverriding\u201d vested political and economic interests of the more powerful players known as P5 have seriously constricted UN\u2019s functioning. As in the case of the League of Nations, the UN is no longer the sole meaningful arbiter on issues of global relevance and importance. Nor is it governed by the rule of law or universally established norms.<\/p>\n

It has resolved no major disputes; nor has it prevented any conflicts. Decisions on major issues are taken in Washington, not in New York. Even the Secretary-General will be looking towards Washington when seeking second tenure end of next year. No wonder, President Trump is all the time trumpeting his own \u2018arbitrary\u2019 credentials to play a decisive role on Kashmir. To what extent can the UN play any role is there for all to see.<\/p>\n

Will the United Nations meet the same fate as its predecessor the League of Nations, or in other words, will the United Nations survive the constant erosion in its credibility, role and authority? The answer is simple. The United Nations can remain relevant only if it defends what is \u201cgood and just\u201d and opposes what is \u201cevil and unjust.\u201d It will have to revive the moral and multilateral core of its raison d’etre. This requires it to be strengthened to make it more representative and more effective inter-governmental organization where \u2018one-state, one-vote\u2019 principle will underpin its pluralistic, democratic and participatory character.<\/p>\n

Emerging from the ashes of World War II, the United Nations was meant to save humanity and its succeeding generations from the scourge of war. It was established to pursue the twin goals of peace and prosperity. For the realization of these goals, it was hailed as \u201cmankind’s last best hope\u201d. It was meant to provide a moral edifice in reordering of the global system, which would be based on justice and equity and which would be governed by rules, laws, values and cooperation.<\/p>\n

The post-war generation saw in the UN a guarantee against big power domination as well as the promise of a helpful hand to those struggling for a life free of poverty, disease, illiteracy and hunger. Multilateral cooperation was to be the norm for resolving all global problems, political, economic and social. With this norm, the UN was to pioneer the way to a new and better world. It was a pragmatic response to imperatives of the fast-changing world as a result of increasing global inter-dependence and phenomenal technological advances.<\/p>\n

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UN Secretary-General\u2019s Visit Pakistan\u2019s New Global Image Shamshad Ahmad For decades, having been on the top of many negative lists including those of world\u2019s most dangerous, most violent, most unsafe and most corrupt countries on earth, it was indeed heartening to see Pakistan being hailed by UN Secretary-General, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, as a \u2018trustworthy and benevolent …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10955,5,10958,2],"tags":[574,2419,1163,8438,9668,2418,610,1161,10115,2541,3790],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29009"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29009"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29018,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29009\/revisions\/29018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}