Will Pakistan ever stop exploitation of the UNGA platform India News network 30 Sep 2024
Will Pakistan ever stop exploitation of the UNGA platform India News network 30 Sep 2024
Shehbaz Sharif spoke at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session on 27 Sept. As expected, his speech concentrated on just two subjects, Palestine and Kashmir. He cried hoarse on Pakistan’s two adversaries, neither of whom he can touch, Israel and India. It was a display of frustration and desperation as he had no solution on handling either of them. He attempted to convey that both were in the wrong and adopting similar polices.
Shehbaz ranted, ‘Like the people of Palestine, the people of J and K too have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination. Instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the UNSC resolutions.’ He added, ‘Day in and day out, 900,000 Indian troops terrorise the people of J and K with draconian measures including long curfews, extrajudicial killings, and the abduction of thousands of young Kashmiris.’
There were other aspects which he missed. Hamas was a proxy of Iran, while terrorists operating in Kashmir are proxies of Pakistan. As Hamas is failing in Gaza, so is terrorism failing in Kashmir. In fact, Pakistan has greater fears as demands from POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) are increasing towards joining India.
India’s refusal to even consider reinstating Article 370, their basic demand for recommencing dialogue, has left the Pak leadership in panic. What has further hurt them is the continued threat of cross-border retaliation including regaining POK by military force in case Pakistan continues to sponsor terrorism.
Stammering, unable to read his lines, Shehbaz alleged that India is engaged in massive expansion of its military capabilities against Pakistan and asserted that it ‘threatened to cross the line of control and take over POK.’ He promised a retaliation. For him, India is a demon waiting to devour Pak.
Shehbaz’s entire speech was ranting on Israel and India with no mention of what is Pakistan’s contribution to the world, to development or for its own people. Nor is there much to mention about a country, whose PM is a figurehead, chosen by the army, with no authority to take decisions. Nor could he talk about democracy as it is suppressed within his own country with the jailing of the most popular leader, Imran Khan, on trumped up charges. He was afraid to mention ongoing elections in J and K as the world is aware that they are free and fair, while those in Pakistan are rigged.
Neither could Shehbaz state that the Shimla agreement and Lahore declaration has made any global body or third-party mediation redundant in Indo-Pak territorial disputes. It is bilateral and would remain so, which is why no nation, including any ally of Pak, ever offers to mediate.
Nor could Shehbaz mention Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where genocide is ongoing and locals disappear with their bodies emerging mysteriously a few years later, riddled with bullets. Every family in Baluchistan and KP has missing members and protests for their whereabouts are suppressed employing brutal force. The very mention of Baluchistan on the global stage brings about a sense of panic in Islamabad.
Nor could Shehbaz complain about the Taliban which his nation reared only to end up supporting the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) which is gaining territory by the day in KP. As Jaishankar mentioned, ‘It can’t blame the world; this is only karma.’ Shehbaz was afraid to mention drugs from Afghanistan, aware that it is the Pak army behind its trafficking through Karachi.
Nor could Shehbaz mention that every West Asian country has told Pakistan not to send its beggars to them. While speaking of Hindu supremacist agenda, he failed to mention that minorities in his country are being forcibly converted, killed and even graves of minority Ahmadiyya’s desecrated almost daily. The nation that never respects other religions talks of Islamophobia.
Shehbaz could also not mention that the country is facing uncontrollable inflation and unemployment with anger growing amongst the public only because of financial misdeeds and large-scale corruption. Nor could he state that Pakistan is so steeped in debt that in case the IMF delays loans, the nation could collapse. He also failed to state that Pakistan is a proxy state of China and ready to do its bidding.
All it took from India was a junior diplomat to tear apart Shehbaz’s facade and display to the world that all Pak does is push a bunch of lies. India’s First Secretary to the UN, Bhavika Mangalanandan, delivered a strong response, conveying to the world the type of nation that Pakistan is. She mentioned, ‘A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade and transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy.’
She added, ‘Yet we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration. There can be no compact with terrorism.’ She reiterated that Osama bin Laden was a revered guest in the country.
Indian representatives have rarely ever referred to Pakistan in their address at the UNGA. However, this time, it needed to be called out. Dr Jaishankar speaking at the UNGA mentioned, ‘Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences. The issue to be resolved between us is now only the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. And, of course, the abandonment of Pakistan’s longstanding attachment to terrorism.’ It was a warning that India will accept no mention of mediation nor will it resume dialogue unless Pak stops terrorism altogether.
It is evident that India has outgrown Pakistan, moved way ahead, considering it just a pinprick, while for Pakistan, India is a nemesis, the very mention of whom causes panic within their leadership. India is also the nation that Pakistan aspires to be but can never be. What India is today is beyond a dream for Pakistan. It can only find solace by falsely crying about India and Kashmir on the global stage, while hiding its own flaws and misdeeds.
The UNGA platform is meant to discuss global good and project a nation’s achievement. For a failed state like Pakistan, with nothing to display, the platform is exploited to only cry hoarse and repeat a bunch of lies.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army