Pakistan's interim PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar raises Jammu and Kashmir issue in UNGA address

Pakistan's interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, on Friday (September 22), brought up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and said that Kashmir is the key to peace between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Addressing the General Debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Kakar said that Pakistan desires peaceful and productive relations with all its neighbours, including India.

"Pakistan desires peaceful and productive relations with all our neighbours, including India. Kashmir is the key to peace between Pakistan and India," he said.

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He then claimed that the Jammu and Kashmir issue is one of the oldest issues on the agenda of the Security Council.

"Development depends on peace. Pakistan is situated in the least economically integrated region in the world. Pakistan believes that regions develop together therefore [the country] desires peaceful and productive relations with all neighbours, including India," he said.

Kakar then said that the UN Security Council must ensure the enactment of its resolutions on Kashmir and said that the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) should be "reinforced".

"Global powers should convince New Delhi to accept Pakistan's offer of mutual restraint on strategic and conventional weapons," he said.

India has reiterated that it does want cordial neighbourly ties with Pakistan in a terror and violence-free environment.

New Delhi has repeatedly highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will always be an integral part of India.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to overrule the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

Peace in Afghanistan is strategic imperative for Pak, says Kakar

The Pakistan interim PM said that Pakistan shares the concerns of the international community with respect to Afghanistan particularly the rights of women and girls.

"Pakistan shares the concerns of the international community with respect to Afghanistan particularly the rights of women and girls. Yet, we advocate continued humanitarian assistance to a destitute Afghan population in which Afghan girls and women are the most vulnerable; as well as revival of the Afghan economy and implementation of the connectivity projects with Central Asia," he said.

"Pakistan's first priority is to prevent and counter all terrorism from and within Afghanistan. Pakistan condemns the cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan by the TTP, Daesh and other groups operating from Afghanistan. We have sought Kabul's support and cooperation to prevent these attacks. However, we are also taking necessary measures to end this externally encouraged terrorism," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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