NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram has praised the UN General Assembly’s resolution declaring Central Asia as a zone of peace, trust, and cooperation. The resolution, adopted last year, is seen as a potential catalyst for stability in today’s conflict-ridden world.
During a debate in the General Assembly to discuss measures to strengthen this peace zone, Ambassador Akram emphasised the significance of establishing such zones in critical regions to promote stability and foster regional and cross-regional collaboration.
The Central Asia peace zone comprises Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Ambassador Akram highlighted Pakistan’s consistent efforts to advocate for peace and cooperation in its own and neighbouring regions. He underscored Pakistan’s long-standing support for the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in South Asia, a vision hindered by India’s nuclear detonations in 1998.
Additionally, Ambassador Akram mentioned Pakistan’s endorsement of a zone of peace in the Indian Ocean, as stated in a 1972 General Assembly resolution.
He expressed concerns over the Indian Ocean being drawn into a geo-strategic construct that could lead to renewed great power rivalries and the emergence of military alliances, potentially destabilising parts of Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.
Pakistan, the ambassador said, has a significant stake in preserving Central Asia as a Zone of Peace due to its membership in both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), alongside states from the Central Asian region.
These two organisations can play a pivotal role in building security and prosperity across Eurasia.
Ambassador Akram emphasised that Pakistan and Central Asia share a common goal of ensuring lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. He highlighted the importance of the platform comprising Afghanistan’s six neighbouring countries plus Russia, which includes three Central Asian nations, as a vital forum for promoting peace, stability, and economic development in Afghanistan.
Once stability is achieved in Afghanistan, it will serve as a crucial link for regional cooperation, connecting Central Asia, Pakistan, and countries committed to implementing several connectivity projects.
These projects include the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline, the CASA electricity grid involving Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway.
Ambassador Akram informed delegates that the recent trilateral ministerial meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan. This extension further strengthens the connections between Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China.
