UNGA: Pakistan urges world to act now on Gaza, Kashmir; seeks climate justice
In a powerful address to the UNGA on Friday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif spoke about the serious challenges our world is facing, from conflict and terrorism to the effects of climate change.
PM Shehbaz remarked on the “chill of a new Cold War” that seems to have gripped the globe.
Sharif expressed profound sorrow for the people of Gaza, stating, “Our hearts bleed as we witness the tragedy unfolding in the Holy Land, a tragedy that shakes the very conscience of humanity.”
He posed a challenging question to the audience that how can we remain silent while children are buried beneath the ruins of their homes and mothers mourn their lost children? He emphasized that this is not just a conflict; it is a “systematic slaughter of innocent people.”
He stressed that simply condemning the violence is not enough. There needs to be immediate action toward a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, alongside granting Palestine full membership at the UN.
He warned that without taking these steps, “the current conflict threatens to pull the entire Middle East into a war with unimaginable consequences.”
Sharif drew a connection between the struggles of the Palestinian people and those in Jammu and Kashmir, where the quest for freedom and self-determination has persisted for over a century.
He criticized India for its actions since August 5, 2019, claiming the country is pursuing a “Final Solution” in Kashmir with the presence of 900,000 troops who impose curfews, carry out extrajudicial killings, and abduct young Kashmiris. He declared that Pakistan would respond decisively to any aggression from India.
On the pressing issue of climate change, Sharif pointed out that Pakistan emits less than 1% of global carbon emissions yet has suffered immensely, including $30 billion in damages from catastrophic floods just two years ago. “We must uphold the principle that the polluter pays!” he insisted.
He further pointed out the difficulties faced by almost 100 developing countries caught in a “death trap” of debt and liquidity crises, labeling the existing international financial system as “morally bankrupt.”
He urged for essential reforms in global trade and technology to promote fairness and facilitate development.
In his closing remarks at UNGA, Sharif stressed that the marginalized should not be overlooked and that the oppressed must retain their hope. “Poverty is not a given, and we must uphold the Almighty’s promise of justice and equality in our common homeland,” he stated.
