Shafqat tells Unesco moot: Intellectual, legal basis for maintaining global peace eroding

PARIS: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood has drawn the world attention towards dangerous trends where intellectual, moral and legal basis for maintaining global peace is eroding, and education and cultural values being undermined.

In a statement, he delivered Pakistan's national statement at the 40th session of Unesco General Conference, being held in Paris. He confined his remarks within the parameters of Unesco's constitution. He cited the example of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) as a manifestation of these dangerous trends, where over eight million Kashmiris have been locked down under curfew for more than a hundred days, with their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms being trampled with impunity.

He also highlighted that education is a large casualty there with around 1.5 million Kashmiri students being unable to go to school. He also expressed dismay at the decision of India's highest court, which virtually condoned the destruction of centuries old Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

In conclusion, he called upon Unesco to exercise its moral authority in pressing the Indian government to restore fundamental rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to resolve this international dispute as per UN Security Council resolutions.

The minister's statement was measured, bringing out facts that have already been widely documented by human rights organisations and international media. Importantly, it did not go beyond Unesco's mandate.

By contrast, India, while exercising its right to reply to Pakistan statement, made baseless and unfounded allegations against Pakistan. India used the same old playbook, attempting to shift the world's attention away from gross human rights atrocities being perpetrated in Indian Occupied Kashmir.

The Indian statement did not have any relevance to Unesco’s constitution and its mandate. It was a vitriolic outburst, which smacked of a self-created delusion of grandeur and a false sense of hubris and righteousness. Many member states expressed their shock and concern on India's statement.

In its right to reply to the Indian statement, Pakistan emphasised that it had no intention to politicise Unesco and reiterated that its statement was completely in line with the Unesco values and principles of its constitution.