The PM’s UN message

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, an annual global event that brings together world leaders for a high-level open debate focused on regional and international issues.

The 79th UNGA Session was significant, especially in the context of Israel’s ongoing brutal war in Gaza, which is enveloping the entire Middle East in a wider and more dangerous conflict. Another major highlight of this year’s Session was the endorsement of the ‘Pact for the Future’ by UN member countries, following its adoption at the Summit of the Future. The summit was hailed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink the role of the UN in line with the contemporary demands of global governance.

For Pakistan, the 79th Session was important as the country is set to begin its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. It was an opportunity for the Pakistani prime minister to outline his country’s key priorities, strengthen alliances with friendly nations, and advocate for Pakistan’s strong positions on Palestine and Jammu & Kashmir.

The prime minister’s meeting with the managing director of the IMF coincided with the approval of a new $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which will help the government build on economic gains and work towards stabilizing the economy. Both sides agreed that Pakistan must continue reforms to promote macroeconomic stability and encourage inclusive and sustainable growth. Another key point discussed was the urgent need for mobilizing adaptation financing for climate change.

For a country like Pakistan, one of the worst affected by climate change, climate financing is critical to address the dual challenge of adaptation and mitigation. Pakistan must unlock all available sources for climate finance, including concessional loans.

The prime minister’s visit to the UN was marked by four key messages: First, his meetings with the presidents of Iran and the Maldives, the prime minister of Nepal, and, notably, with the chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, signaled Islamabad’s renewed focus on the wider South Asian region.

Of particular interest was PM Shehbaz’s meeting with and participation in the reception for the head of the interim Bangladeshi government. This warm interaction was made possible by the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, following a mass uprising.

For over a decade, Sheikh Hasina’s cold and hostile posture toward Pakistan was influenced by her close alignment with New Delhi, which had prevented meaningful engagement with Islamabad. Other smaller South Asian countries, like the Maldives, have also felt stifled by India’s overbearing role.

The ouster of Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh and the election of Mohamed Muizzu in the Maldives on an ‘India Out’ platform have been seen as a severe blow to India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, which the Modi government has used to establish its geostrategic and diplomatic dominance.

Pakistan has seized the opportunity to capitalize on this strategic shift in South Asia. This renewed focus on the region provides Pakistan with greater depth in pursuing its foreign policy goals. The prime minister emphasized the mutually beneficial areas of cooperation with neighbouring countries, based on equality and shared interest, signaling a departure from India’s previous terms of engagement.

These positive meetings with regional leaders must be followed by a strategy of robust engagement to promote regional cooperation and achieve win-win outcomes for all, potentially leading to the revival of Saarc from its current dormant state.

Second, the prime minister used his time in New York to further build partnerships and alliances with friendly countries like Kuwait, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, and Iraq. His meetings with the UN secretary-general, the president of the European Commission, and the heads of the World Bank and IMF underscored Pakistan’s commitment to work with multilateral institutions to seek common solutions to shared problems.

Third, whether during his speech at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly or in his statement to the Security Council on ‘Leadership for Peace’, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reminded the world of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terrorism and highlighted the resurgence of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, particularly the threat posed by the TTP.

While expressing concern about girls’ education, political inclusivity, and human rights in Afghanistan, he warned of the TTP’s potential to become an umbrella organization aligned with groups like Al-Qaeda, ETIM, and IMU, which could pose a serious threat to regional peace.

In a passionate and forceful speech at the UN General Assembly, the Pakistani prime minister urged the world to confront its apathy, lack of action, and helplessness in restraining Israel. He bluntly criticized those complicit in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, calling out the lack of “courage, clarity, and conviction” in addressing Israel’s actions as a betrayal of the very principles the UN stands for.

The prime minister stated that Israel’s war on Gaza was “not just a conflict but a systematic slaughter and an assault on the essence of human dignity and life”. He compared the world’s indifference to the plight of Palestinians to a diminishing of humanity, a comparison that was not far from the truth.

A major portion of the prime minister’s speech focused on exposing India’s record of terrorism, rights abuses, and oppression in IIOJK, particularly its settler-colonial project.

Paying tribute to Kashmiris for their defiance and courage, he invoked the sacrifice of freedom fighter Burhan Wani to emphasize the indigenous nature of the Kashmiri freedom movement. He also warned India of “decisive action” if it attempted to cross the Line of Control.

Fourth, the Pakistani leader highlighted the challenges to multilateralism, exacerbated by what he described as “the chill breeze of another cold war”. He spoke passionately about climate hazards, the dangers of deepening debt traps, and the need for concessional financing, including climate funds. Citing the UN secretary-general’s description of the global financial system as “morally bankrupt”, he called for reforms to promote development and global financial equity.

This appeal also included developing nations’ equitable access to advanced technologies, such as AI, to modernize their economies.

Other significant issues raised by the prime minister in his 21-minute speech included the need for accelerated action to combat Islamophobia, an end to the Russia-Ukraine war in accordance with the UN Charter, and Pakistan’s commitment to deepening ties with the African Union in peacekeeping and counter-terrorism efforts.

Overall, the prime minister’s speech was a powerful articulation of Pakistan’s position on regional and multilateral issues central to its foreign policy. At its core, the speech adhered to the principles of the UN Charter.

The writer is an alumnus of the University of Sussex and has a degree in international journalism. He tweets/posts @Amanat222