Pakistan tells UN won´t be ´scapegoat´ in Afghan war

United Nations: Pakistan refuses to be a "scapegoat" for Afghanistan´s bloodshed or to fight wars for others, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the United Nations on Thursday.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Abbasi did not explicitly criticize US President Donald Trump´s new strategy on Afghanistan but made clear his displeasure with the renewed onus on Pakistan.

"Having suffered and sacrificed so much due to our role in the global counter terrorism campaign, it is especially galling for Pakistan to be blamed for the military or political stalemate in Afghanistan," Abbasi said.

"We are not prepared to be anyone´s scapegoat," he said.

"What Pakistan is not prepared to do is to fight the Afghan war on Pakistan´s soil. Nor can we endorse any failed strategy that will prolong and intensify the suffering of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and other regional countries," he said.

Abbasi said that 27,000 Pakistanis have been killed by extremists since the launch of the US war on terror after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

He called for a priority on eliminating extremists, including from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, in Afghanistan but ultimately a political solution with the Taliban.

Abbasi, who took office last month after his predecessor Nawaz Sharif was disqualified from office over a corruption scandal, used his UN address to renew Pakistan´s condemnation of human rights violations by India in occupied Kashmir

"Pakistan has acted with restraint. But if India does venture across the LoC, or acts upon its doctrine of limited war against Pakistan, it will evoke a strong and matching response," he said.

He was referring to an Indian strategic doctrine, rarely discussed openly, of a limited military response on Pakistan that is intended to stop short of triggering a nuclear reprisal.

India accuses Islamabad of training, arming and infiltrating militants into Kashmir. India considered but ultimately decided not to strike Pakistan after a bloody 2008 assault on Mumbai, which was planned by Pakistan-based extremists.

Abbasi highlighted the persistent human rights violations carried out in the Occupied Kashmir (IoK) by the Indian forces that are a blatant breach of the Geneva Convention.

PM Abbasi siad that the exercise of the right to self- determination by the people of Jammu and Kashmir through a free and fair plebiscite should be held under UN auspices. The people of Kashmir have waited 70 years for implementation of this promise, he added.

Pakistan wants peace with India and ready to enter into a serious and sustained dialogue for peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes, including Kashmir. He further said that Kashmir issue should be resolved as per UN’s resolution.

Abbasi said that India has deployed 700,000 troops to brutally curb peaceful struggle of Kashmiris, He said pallet guns being used to stop Kashmiris from raising their voice against Indian atrocities. He said India committed 600 times ceasefire violation along LOC to divert the World’s attention from Kashmiris struggle.

In his maiden address at UN General Assembly, Abbasi said that Pakistan has a vital stake in ending conflicts, fostering peace, fighting terrorism, strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, generating global growth and overcoming the challenges of environmental degradation. "We can achieve these goals, and create a new and peaceful world order, only through the United Nations and by strict adherence to the principles of its Charter".

Abbasi also underscored how the world is watching the ongoing mass genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, while no effective measure has been taken to stop the brutality and atrocities.

CPEC

He said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a leading investment vehicle. He said we are also looking at other additional sources of investment from the West.

Grief over loss

PM  has expressed grief and sorrow over the heavy loss of life and destruction caused by the earthquake in Mexico and Hurricane Maria and Irma, adding that government and people of Pakistan express their solidarity and stand by the government and people at this difficult time period.   Web Desk/AFP