Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday urged the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel, including an arms and trade embargo, for its genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.
Delivering a statement during the open debate of the Security Council on “Leadership for Peace,” he said the world “must compel” Israel to half its genocidal war in Gaza and prevent ongoing attempts to provoke a wider regional conflict. Strongly condemning recent bombardments in Lebanon, Sharif emphasized the need to hold Israel’s leadership accountable for its crimes against Palestinians and the Lebanese people. He also urged the UNSC to develop an impartial plan for a ceasefire and peaceful solution for the war in Ukraine.
In his address, the prime minister said proliferating wars in the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere, as well as brewing tensions between global powers and growing poverty were threating the foundations of the world order. “Last Sunday we approved the pact for the future. We must give life to our commitments otherwise, the future will be bleak and dangerous,” he warned.
Referring to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Sharif said the Council could not continue to ignore it. “It poses a great threat to international peace and security. The Council must call for a halt to the massive violations of the fundamental rights of Kashmiri people and implement its own resolutions that demand a plebiscite for self-determination in Kashmir valley,” he said.
The prime minister also called upon the Council to effectively address the resurgence of the terror threat from Afghanistan, especially from Daesh, and “Fitna al-Khawaraij,” which Pakistan has dubbed the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Similarly, he said, the UNSC must actively support African countries and the African Union in countering terrorism and foreign interventions. “U.N. peacekeeping must become more robust and effective,” he said.
Sharif urged the Council to initiate confidence-building measures to prevent a war between major powers and ease rising tensions, especially in Asia.
Additionally, the prime minister stressed the council must declare zero tolerance for the illegal use of force and revive global efforts to halt and reverse the new arms race in nuclear and conventional weapons. “It must also build control over new weapons and technologies including Artificial Intelligence that is making war more likely and more lethal,” he said.
Sharif concluded his address by vowing that Pakistan, in cooperation with other member states, would pursue these objectives when it assumes its seat on the Security Council next year.