ISLAMABAD   -  Pakistan has started efforts to build its narrative on Kashmir and Afghanistan as the United Nations General Assembly resumed in New York.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is in New York, said yesterday that Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) issue was further complicated as a result of India’s unilateral and illegal steps of 5th August 2019. He urged India to stop atrocities against the oppressed Kashmiri people. He pointed out that voices were being raised within India against Hindutva policies of Narendra Modi government.

In a media interaction, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for the establishment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan. He stressed that the international community should not abandon Afghanistan. “A peaceful Afghanistan will be a cause of stability for the whole region,” the FM added.

He said Pakistan extended full assistance in the evacuation of foreign nationals from Afghanistan. The Foreign Minister said despite limited resources, Pakistan has been hosting three million Afghan refugees over the last four decades.            

The UN General Assembly debate will continue till September 27. Due to the global pandemic, the size of delegations allowed into the General Assembly Hall is limited, and most of the UN Member States have provided pre-recorded statements instead of traveling to UN Headquarters. Over 100 Heads of State or Government are also expected to attend in person.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the UNGA on September 24. He is expected to raise the Kashmir and Afghanistan issues apart from other international matters.

The PM will seek global attention towards the Kashmir issue. He will also brief the global leaders about Pakistan’s efforts for peace in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile yesterday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi addressed the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

The FM said the recent developments in Afghanistan were on everyone’s mind and “I would share Pakistan’s perspective on them in due course. But I want to begin with how Pakistan envisions the future of its relationship with the United States.”

The FM referred to the historic ups and downs of the Pakistan-US relationship. “Our engagement has often been narrowly framed, dictated either by short-term security interests or the imperative to deal with a common challenge. We want to break out of this pattern,” he said.

The FM said after the horrific September 11terrorist attacks, Pakistan and the United States came together to decimate Al Qaeda’s core leadership and architecture.

“Our cooperation produced results, leading President Biden to conclude earlier this year that the United States had achieved its core objective in Afghanistan.  Now that the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan is over, we want to take our relationship beyond counterterrorism and Afghanistan — which, of course, would remain priorities,” he added.

For Pakistan, he said, the United States remains an important partner. “The United States is still our largest export market and a major source of foreign remittances, the lifeblood of our economy. There is great cultural affinity between the United States and Pakistan, which is one of the largest English-speaking countries in the world. Talented young Pakistanis continue to gravitate towards American college campuses and Silicon Valley incubators. Finally, we have a large and politically engaged Pakistani American community that is a bridge between our two countries,” the FM said.

He said, “In short, we have all the ingredients in place to build a more substantive and broad-based relationship that is anchored in trade, investment, and people-to-people linkages.”

FM Qureshi said as Pakistan shifts its focus towards “geo-economics,” “we want to leverage our connectivity infrastructure — including the China -Pakistan Economic Corridor — to enhance regional trade and economic integration. We see the United States as an important partner in this regard.”