Former Pakistani envoy criticizes limited UN role in Ukraine and Gaza

WASHINGTON:

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US said the role of the UN, which he described as “the best thing that happened after World War II”, has declined over the past two decades.

Masood Khan said in an interview with Anadolu that the organization is no longer effective in monitoring international humanitarian law and human rights in issues such as the Gaza Strip.

“It’s still doing a great job when it comes to climate change or sustainable development. And it focuses on poverty reduction, for example. It works with international financial institutions — the World Bank, the IMF — and it’s a good combination. It’s a good partnership. But I think we need to restore trust in the United Nations. It has the legitimacy, but we need to give it the authority to judge and resolve conflicts,” Khan said.

He said the UN needed to be strengthened to create stability.

“In the case of Ukraine or Gaza, the United Nations has a marginal tool. They should be in the middle of the table, they should set up peace tables and they should be the arbiter, the final arbiter for finding dispensations for peace and security in these two regions,” he said.

The Pakistani ambassador said the new world order after World War II gave the international community a set of principles, laws, humanitarian laws and human rights laws that have been violated in Gaza.

“We would say that we have to resolve this discrepancy between what we say about the laws, and how we deal with them and how they are put into practice. Otherwise they will be broken,” he added.

US-Pakistan Relations

Khan was deployed to Washington immediately after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, the final stop in his career.

The vacuum created by the sudden US withdrawal from the region and its implications for relations with Washington were Khan’s first agenda items upon his arrival.

He said it was “a challenging time” and there was uncertainty when he arrived in the US, but both parties understood that the relationship was important.

“Pakistan and the United States have been partners for over 75 years. And it needed to be rebuilt, recalibrated and re-energized. And that’s exactly what we’ve done over the last two years,” he said.

“We focus on both security and non-security areas. Security cooperation basically includes regional stability in the fight against terrorism,” the ambassador said.

Khan stressed that the US Indo-Pacific strategy with India against China cannot yield a sustainable solution in the region by excluding Pakistan. He said greater regional stability, peace and prosperity can be achieved only if Washington contributes to establishing a just order in the region.

“Otherwise, disruptive forces would emerge that would continue to sabotage efforts for peace and security,” the former ambassador warned.

Khan said the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was an uncertain factor in Pakistan-US relations, which have recently been reviewed and restructured on the basis of new principles.

Khan argued that Pakistan-US cooperation, which emerged in the 1980s due to Russian presence in Afghanistan, went through a similar period when Russia withdrew from Afghanistan. Cooperation with Washington was also adjusted to the changing dynamics after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Collaboration in investments

Khan said Afghanistan has largely stabilized since the US withdrawal and the Afghan interim government has taken a number of decisions.

He noted that terrorist organizations such as the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan) and Daesh-K continue to carry out attacks on Pakistan using Afghan territory. Negotiations are underway with the Kabul government to prevent further attacks.

Khan said the US has withdrawn from the region but the threat of terrorism still exists. He stressed that it is a “shared responsibility” of the two countries to fight against attacks.

Khan noted that investment cooperation will be more important than security policy in the new era of Pakistan-US relations, and that the relationship will focus on technology, trade, agriculture, energy and climate change.

Khan stressed that the relationship is based on strong ties. He also said that while there is no regional cooperation in security and strategy, the relationship between the two countries has developed in other areas and is resilient to sudden changes.

Pakistan-Turkey Relations

Khan, who worked with Turkey’s former envoy to Washington Hasan Murat Mercan and current Ambassador Sedat Onal during his tenure, said he worked with his Turkish counterparts and Turkey has developed relations with Pakistan in a multifaceted manner.

“The military relations between Pakistan and Turkey are very good, excellent. And they are centered in the hearts and minds of the people of the two countries,” he said. “And I can foresee that the relations between Pakistan and Turkey, and especially the people of the two countries, will grow exponentially in the future.”

Khan noted that in addition to the military agreements between the two countries involving ships, helicopters, UAVs and other weapons platforms, Turkish companies hold an important position as “respected investors” in Pakistan.

Khan stated that Turkey offers many conveniences and opportunities for Pakistani investors and said, “Pakistani investors find Turkey very welcoming and hospitable, so they feel very comfortable in Turkey.”