NEW YORK: Despite being a victim of terrorism, Pakistan possesses the will, determination, and capability to combat the externally-sponsored menace, which is “ironically” aided and financed by India, a senior Pakistani diplomat stated at a UN panel.
During a debate in the General Assembly’s Legal (Sixth) Committee on “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism,” Ambassador Usman Jadoon, acting permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, noted, “We have led the fight against terrorism over the last two decades.”
He emphasized the evolving nature of this threat and underscored the need for the UN’s counter-terrorism framework to adapt to new forms of terrorism, including the use of cyber tools, cryptocurrencies, and online recruitment.
Ambassador Jadoon also called for addressing unresolved conflicts, foreign occupation, and the denial of the right to self-determination, particularly in Kashmir and Palestine, to eradicate terrorism globally.
His remarks on Indian-sponsored terrorism and the occupation of Kashmir prompted a response from an Indian delegate, which the Pakistani representative rejected during his right to reply.
Highlighting Pakistan’s significant losses, he stated that the country has suffered 80,000 casualties in the fight against terrorism and continues to endure state-sponsored cross-border attacks from groups like the TTP, Da’esh, and the Majeed Brigade.
Ambassador Jadoon asserted that the international community has a responsibility to ensure that counter-terrorism efforts are not misused to violate human rights and international humanitarian law, as has occurred in occupied Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir.
He reiterated Pakistan’s full support for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) position that a consensus-based Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) must clearly distinguish between acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggles of peoples under foreign and colonial occupation seeking self-determination and national liberation.
