Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday stressing the need for serious reforms in the multilateral system, emphasised that the UN Security Council must evolve mechanisms to enforce its resolutions through physical actions or interventions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UN Security Council is meant to maintain peace and security, but if its resolutions are ignored\u2014as we\u2019ve seen for years with Israel vis-\u00e0-vis Palestine and Gaza, and India vis-\u00e0-vis Jammu and Kashmir\u2014what can we expect from the multilateral system? \u2026 Concrete steps must be taken, and the international community mobilized\u2026 If it is not done, then multilateral system has already gone too weak,\u201d the deputy prime minister said in an interview with Al Jazeera during his visit to Qatar to attend the preparatory foreign ministerial level meeting ahead of the Emergency Arab Islamic Summit, where he also accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as part of Pakistan\u2019s delegation.<\/p>\n
He said that Qatar was engaged in mediation for peace at the time of the Israeli attack, which reflected the rogue attitude of an aggressor, repeatedly targeting one country after another\u2014Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and now Qatar.<\/p>\n
He said that unfortunately, international law, humanitarian rules, OIC resolutions, and UN Security Council resolutions had no effect on one country that does what it pleases.<\/p>\n
He said that following attack on Qatar, Pakistan, as a non-permanent elected UNSC member, moved with Somalia and Algeria to summon a special session and also mobilized OIC partners for Arab Islamic summit and activated the human rights body in Geneva.<\/p>\n
Ishaq Dar said that Israel\u2019s rogue attitude likely aimed to derail mediation efforts, reflecting its unwillingness to have peace.<\/p>\n
Calling for complete focus on dialogue and diplomacy as the \u201cbest answer to complex situations\u201d, he said that even the non-Muslim countries were now favoring the Muslims suffering in Gaza.<\/p>\n
\u201cFood has been weaponized, over 60,000 people have died in the last two years, and 160,000 have been injured, including women and children. The time for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire is now, alongside an unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that Pakistan believed every state, big or small, deserved equal dignity and respect.<\/p>\n
Referring to the Pakistan-India conflict between May 7 to 10, he said the Indian claims of being a regional hegemon or net security provider were buried as Pakistan acted in self-defence after it was forced into war.<\/p>\n
He told the interviewer that as a nuclear-armed state, Pakistan did not want destabilization in the region, as it would have far-reaching consequences.<\/p>\n
The deputy prime minister said that Israel had done nothing to implement UN resolutions on Palestine, while India unilaterally revoked special status of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.<\/p>\n
He viewed that mechanisms like severe economic sanctions could be applied to countries that ignore UNSC resolutions, creating significant pain.<\/p>\n
The deputy prime minister appreciated the positive role the US played during the India-Pakistan war, and reiterated that Pakistan never asked for a ceasefire.<\/p>\n
Regarding the Indian decision to suspend Indus Waters Treaty, he said India\u2019s wish to manipulate water was unacceptable, as Pakistan\u2019s National Security Committee also declared that any such action would be treated as an act of war, \u201cand we mean it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked whether there was any back channel open with India, Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan did not mind bilateral talks, but dialogues must be comprehensive, covering terrorism, trade, economy, and Jammu and Kashmir.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not begging for dialogue. As a peace-loving country, we welcome it, but it takes two to tango. India must be willing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coming to terrorism, he said that Pakistan had credible evidence that other countries\u2019 agencies were involved in financing and funding terrorism. This evidence has been shared with international agencies and was on record.<\/p>\n
He said that the incumbent government and the security forces were fully focused on cleansing Pakistan of terrorism. When it comes to the lives of Pakistani soldiers or civilians, that\u2019s our red line, and we\u2019ll take any action to stop it, he resolved.<\/p>\n
To a question, he said that the bilateral relations with Afghanistan had improved significantly and reiterated Pakistan\u2019s call for action against terrorist elements like TTP, BLA, and Majeed Brigade.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday stressing the need for serious reforms in the multilateral system, emphasised that the UN Security Council must evolve mechanisms to enforce its resolutions through physical actions or interventions. \u201cThe UN Security Council is meant to maintain peace and security, but if its resolutions are ignored\u2014as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":490819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-503154","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n