Held Kashmir situation: Pakistan directs embassies, diplomatic missions to sensitise host govts

ISLAMABAD: As part of diplomatic offensive the Foreign Office (FO) has alerted its embassies, diplomatic missions and other facilities to sensitise their host governments about the rapidly developing situation in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) and occupying Indian forces brutalities against the innocent freedom loving people of Kashmir in the area which are under sever siege.

Well placed diplomatic sources told The News here Sunday that since the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 74th summit session is commencing at the UN headquarters in New York in three weeks, the diplomats have been asked to brief the host countries and leadership on priority basis about the gravity of the situation in IHK in the manner that they should feel no hesitation in raising the miseries of Kashmiri people in their statement to be made in the UNGA.

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood has communicated to the missions pertaining to the desire of the government and he is in constant touch with the country’s missions across the world.

The sources pointed out that the objectives of the upcoming UNGA would include high-level events such as a Climate Summit, Financing for Development, and a review of the SIDS Accelerated on 26th Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.

Pakistan would take part in discussion at least two earlier subjects with fair amount of interest due to obvious reasons but Kashmir dispute will capture central stage in issues of Asian affairs because of the volatile situation prevailing in the area.

The sources reminded that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the UNGA ahead of his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan. Khan will agitate Kashmir issue with full force and he will take the world into confidence about the fascist acts of Indian government against Kashmiris and its own people.

The sources said that Pakistan will exercise its right of reply if Indian prime minister hurls any allegation against Pakistan or offer any obnoxious comments. In all probabilities Modi will speak in Hindi as he addressed the world body on the last occasion in it, while Prime Minister Khan will deliver his statement in English as most of the world leaders attending the summit understand English well.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will also accompany the prime minister in sojourn for New York. He will stay at the UN headquarters for few days after the return of the prime minister as he will attend some important meetings afterwards including Contact Group on Kashmir, headed by Turkey. The Contact Group of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will discuss the recent horrible developments in the occupied Kashmir. The sources said that Prime Minister Imran will also have bilateral meetings with some world leaders on brinks of the UNGA. He will attend the reception to be hosted by US President Donald Trump on the inaugural day of the UNGA.

A meeting between prime minister and US president is being worked out through diplomatic channels. The UNGA will open on 17 September. The first day of the high-level General Debate will be on Tuesday, 24 September where US president will address the United Nations.

During the week of the debate, several other high-level events also will be convened. On Monday, 23rd September, the UN Secretary-General will convene a Climate Summit, and the UNGA will hold a one-day high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) while on Tuesday, 24 September, following the opening of the 74th General Debate, the UNGA will convene a meeting of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), which will take place on the afternoon of 24 September and all day on 25 September.

The sources said that on Thursday, 26 September, the UNGA will hold a high-level dialogue on financing for development (EfD), as well as a high-level meeting on the elimination of nuclear weapons; and on Friday, 27 September, the UNGA will hold the high level meeting to review progress made in addressing the priorities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) through the implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway related to Caribbean countries.