ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The President-elect of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Volkan Bozkir met the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Monday, and held a discussion on a wide range of issues.
The Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, the Director-General United Nations, and Senior Officials of the Foreign Affairs Ministry were also present in the meeting.
During the meeting, the foreign minister felicitated Volkan Bozkir on his election as the President of 75th Session of the UNGA, and expressed best wishes for him.
Welcoming the agenda of the UN general assembly’s 75th Session, Qureshi said that it is of special significance in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and now a global financial crisis is also imminent.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan is cognizant of the fact that it wouldn’t be possible for world leaders to participate in the UN general assembly session in a traditional manner in view of the pandemic. Therefore, Pakistan endorses the methodology of convening the session this year, he added.
The foreign minister also underlined the need for comprehensive and collective efforts at the global level to deal with the pandemic.
The minister said that efforts are afoot by many Countries to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, and hoped that it would be ensured that all Countries especially the developing Countries would have an access to the vaccine on a priority basis.
While apprising the UNGA President-elect of human rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K), Qureshi said that India explicitly violated UN Security Council resolutions and International Laws, and unilaterally scrapped Occupied Kashmir’s Special Status on August 5 last year.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that extra-judicial murder of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian forces, unjustified firing on unarmed civilians, and violence have become a routine matter in IOJ&K.
The minister said that the Indian forces are violating the ceasefire agreement at the Line of Control (LoC), and deliberately targeting the innocent civilians.
The foreign minister said that Kashmir is a dispute at the global level as also endorsed by the UN Secretary General in his recorded statement on August 8, 2019, and it must be resolved in the light of UN Security Council resolutions.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed hope that the UN general assembly as per its vision will play an effective role to stop gross human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir, and resolve the issue peaceful in the light of UNSC resolutions.
The two dignitaries also exchanged views on efforts for regional peace and stability including the Afghan peace process.
The foreign minister said that Pakistan is sincerely playing a conciliatory role under the shared responsibility to ensure lasting peace in Afghanistan.
Qureshi said that the intra-Afghan negotiation is inevitable for durable peace and stability in the region.
Earlier after his arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UNGA President-elect Volkan Bozkir planted a sapling at the lawn of the ministry under the national plantation drive.
The UNGA President-elect Volkan Bozkir is in Pakistan on a two-day visit.
During his visit, he will also hold a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
