ISLAMABAD: The Kashmir issue which used to be among the central stage subjects of the United National General Assembly (UNGA) annual discussions by the member countries, stayed at the lowest ebb this year as Turkey was the sole voice that spoke for the cause of oppressed people of Kashmir.
Pakistan too took up the issue since its party in the dispute which is pending on the UN Security Council (UNSC) agenda since 1949. Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News here Monday that India that has brought new permanent envoy for the world body, followed two prong strategy in dealing with the issue and Pakistan. First it tried to get Kashmir issue excluded from the pending items of the UNSC and second it pursued the member countries not to raise the issue in their respective statements.
Interestingly UN Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres, who earlier served as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Prime Minister Portugal, visited Pakistan last year and he expressed concern about the plight of people of Kashmir during his meetings with high ups here.
Later India unilaterally changed the status of the disputed area of Kashmir and merged it into Union Territory on August 5, 2019. The sources said that timely indulgence of the UNSG worked and India couldn’t succeed in its evil designs. The historic United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 75th annual summit is now culminated at the UN headquarters in Manhattan city of New York and for the first time the summit was addressed by the world leaders through virtual system including host US President Donald Trump who was present in the country but opted to address the world body on line.
The sources revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on Pakistan but other flimsily reasons as he didn’t mention Kashmir in his address. He insisted on bringing India as permanent member of the UNSC.
The sources pointed out that Pakistan has been trying to sensitize the world capitals about the worsening situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) but Pakistan’s mission at the UNGA failed to get the situation highlighted befittingly in the debate.
The sources said that the Foreign Office also failed in pursuing friendly countries in getting the issue highlighted in their statements befittingly. It’s the first time in about thirty years that Pakistan’s case on Kashmir couldn’t attract the attention of even ten members of the 193-member world body to raise it in their respective statements.
The sources said that country’s pathetic diplomatic performance caused worry in Pakistan’s mission in New York. Pakistan’s traditional friends maintained silence in the debate concluded on Monday after one-week long session where statements were made by world leaders.
The diplomatic sources reminded that the lack of interest on the part of world about predicament of Kashmir’s oppressed people should be source of worry for the strategists sitting in the Foreign Office. Pakistan’s mission in New York doesn’t have the list of the countries that spoke about Kashmir and stood-by Pakistan’s position on the thorny issue. Pakistan’s statement was also ignored by the corridors of the world body’s headquarters where Kashmir issue was raised forcefully by Pakistan in its statement.
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