Latest news with #MunirAkram
Arab News
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistani diplomat at UN slams Israel's ‘extremist leaders' for continuing Gaza war for political survival
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's top diplomat at the United Nations on Tuesday criticized Israel's 'extremist leaders' for continuing the war in Gaza for their own political survival, as fresh Israeli airstrikes killed about 400 people, threatening to unravel a fragile ceasefire. Addressing a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Ambassador Munir Akram accused Israel of systematically eroding the ceasefire agreement reached in January and called for an end to its 'slaughter' of the Palestinian people. The ceasefire agreement was reached on January 15 following more than a year of Israeli airstrikes that flattened much of Gaza's infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and residential neighborhoods. In the weeks that followed, Hamas, which governs the enclave, returned several batches of Israeli hostages taken at the start of the war, and the international community began to discuss reconstruction plans for the war-ravaged territory. 'The agreement of 15th January for a ceasefire, for a three-phase ceasefire, offered a sliver of hope for the Palestinian people, for the Israeli people, and for the world community,' Akram said. 'The Arab and OIC [Organization of Islamic Cooperation] reconstruction and peace plan was under consideration in capitals. It offered a road to peace.' 'But obviously, this glimmer of hope and hope for peace was not to the liking of the extremist leaders who rule Israel today,' he continued. 'They see their survival in the continuation of the war.' Akram said Israeli was guilty of violating every article of international law, urging the world community to respond with justice or risk the world order's regression 'into the barbarism from which the Charter of the United Nations was supposed to rescue us.' Akram highlighted Israel's deliberate efforts to dismantle the ceasefire agreement, starting with the imposition of a humanitarian blockade of Gaza. This, he said, was followed by restrictions on Palestinian Muslims from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan. 'These are all tactics of the oppressor,' he maintained. 'And now, they have escalated to blatantly violate the ceasefire and resume attacks against the helpless Palestinians in Gaza who were just returning to rebuild their homes.' The Pakistani envoy called for the resumption of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave and the need for a revival of negotiations leading to a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. 'The upcoming June conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity for the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian question and the implementation of the two-state solution,' he said, adding that 'to realize the possibility of peace, Israel's aggression, its attacks and its slaughter of the Palestinians must stop.'
Arab News
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
At UNSC, Pakistan calls for ceasefire, technocratic government in Sudan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Munir Akram has called for the establishment of an independent technocratic government in Sudan to manage the transitional period and urged warring parties to declare a ceasefire, Pakistani state media reported on Friday. The war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023 over disputes regarding the integration of the two forces, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and left half of the Sudanese population facing hunger. The conflict has also triggered waves of ethnically driven violence, largely blamed on the RSF, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. The UN says that nearly two-thirds of Sudan's population, or more than 30 million people, will need aid this year. 'The appointment of an independent prime minister and formation of an independent national technocratic government to oversee the transitional period could be steps in a positive direction,' the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency quoted Akram as saying at a meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to discuss the Sudan situation. 'The conflict will not be resolved on the battlefield [and] war will only bring more death and destruction to the Sudanese people.' Akram condemned the signing of a charter by the RSF and its allies for a parallel governing authority in Sudan. 'Any such external intervention and any scheme that undermines the UN Charter principles will further complicate the conflict, prevent an early solution and further undermine regional and international peace and security,' he said. The Pakistan envoy urged warring parties in Sudan to abide by the international humanitarian law and facilitate humanitarian assistance in the affected areas. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell said the Sudanese children were enduring 'unimaginable suffering and horrific violence,' calling for an immediate end to the conflict. 'This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education and protection,' she said. 'I met with families and children who are living through this nightmare. Their stories are heartbreaking – and demand immediate action.'
Express Tribune
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Kabul complicit in TTP attacks: Pak envoy
Pakistan has, yet again, drawn the attention of the international community towards the greatest threat to the security and stability in Afghanistan — and the entire region, saying it will take all necessary measures to stop cross-border terrorist attacks. In a statement during the UN Security Council briefing on Afghanistan on Monday, Pakistan's envoy noted that the Afghan interim government utterly failed in addressing the threat posed to the region and beyond by Afghan-based terrorist outfits such as Al-Qaeda, the TTP and Baloch terrorists, including the BLA and the Majeed Brigade. Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which was perceived as enjoying Kabul's patronage, had been fast emerging as an umbrella organisation for regional terrorist groups, whose objectives, he added, were to undermine the security and stability of all of Afghanistan's neighbours. "Given its long association with Al-Qaeda, the TTP could pose not only a regional but also a global terrorist threat," the ambassador emphasised. He said that the TTP, with 6,000 fighters, was the largest, designated terrorist organisation operating from Afghanistan. "With safe havens close to our border, the TTP has conducted numerous attacks against Pakistan's soldiers, civilians and institutions resulting in hundreds of casualties," he added. "We have evidence that the Kabul authorities have not only tolerated but are also complicit in the conduct of the TTP's terrorist cross-border attacks." Ambassador Akram noted that the TTP was collaborating with other terrorist groups present in Afghanistan, like the BLA and the Majeed Brigade, which sought to destabilise Pakistan and "disrupt our economic cooperation" with China, especially the CPEC, through their terrorist campaign. "The TTP also receives external support and financing from our principal adversary."
Express Tribune
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Epicentre of terror
Listen to article Pakistan has done some plain-talking at the UNSC by driving attention of the world community towards the unbridled terror fissures emanating from Afghanistan. In a carefully worded and well-substantiated presentation, Munir Akram, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, denounced Kabul for providing safe havens to militants, and made no qualms about pointing out that TTP has outgrown as an umbrella entity in the region. The fugitive body, holed inside Afghanistan with an estimated 6,000 fighters, is rapidly gaining strength by striking alliances with other terror outfits. The Al Qaeda, ISK , BLA, Majeed Brigade and many others are in cahoots with the TTP, rendering a serious threat to peace and security in the region and beyond. This cluster of 20 groups, unfortunately, seems to operate scot-free as Kabul has not lived up to its promise of exterminating this nuisance. The Taliban 2.0 refuse to realise that these militants are an existential threat to them too. As they go on to intensify attacks on Pakistan, as is evident from a spike in terrorism in the year 2024 to almost 45%, they are ruining the prospects of geo-economics. That is why Pakistan's UN representative honed the point that Taliban authorities are found complicit in their cross-border attacks. The way forward, as proposed by Ambassador Akram, is a stronger and well-coordinated counter-terrorism mechanism. Pakistan has always been at the vanguard in netting high-profile terrorists, and recent arrest of the Kabul Airport bombing suspect and his extradition to the US is a case of its sincerity. It is altogether important because weapons capable of mass destruction were recovered from TTP bases in Pakistan, which were apparently abandoned by US forces during their hurried exit from Afghanistan. The increasing volatility inside Pakistan, as well as the skirmishes witnessed at Torkham border, go on to confirm Akram's assessment that Kabul has a responsibility to shoulder. Rather than adopting an adamant attitude, Kabul should see reason and act immediately.
Express Tribune
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
TTP is becoming umbrella group for regional militants, Pakistan tells UN
Listen to article Pakistan has warned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is evolving into an umbrella organisation for militant groups in the region, with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban authorities complicit in its cross-border attacks. Speaking at a UNSC session on Afghanistan, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Munir Akram, accused Kabul of providing safe havens to militants who have intensified attacks on Pakistani soil. He warned that Afghanistan is now home to more than 20 terrorist groups, posing a direct threat to regional stability. "We have evidence that the Kabul authorities have not only tolerated but are complicit in the conduct of the TTP's terrorist cross-border attacks," Akram told the Council. The Pakistani envoy said the TTP, which has an estimated 6,000 fighters, has become the largest terrorist outfit operating from Afghan territory. He alleged that the group enjoys operational freedom and support from elements within Afghanistan's government. He also warned that the TTP is collaborating with other militant organisations, such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, both of which have been involved in attacks targeting Pakistan's security forces and Chinese investments in the country. "The Kabul authorities have failed to address the threat posed to the region and beyond by other terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda, the TTP and Baloch terrorists, including the BLA and the Majeed Brigade, which are present in Afghanistan," Akram said. Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorism, with the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 ranking it as the second-most affected country in the world. The country saw a 45% increase in terrorism-related deaths, rising from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, one of the steepest surges globally. The number of terror incidents more than doubled from 517 attacks in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024—the first time attacks surpassed 1,000 in a single year since the index was established. Analysts have linked this escalation to the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Last week, Pakistani security forces foiled an attempted attack on Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing all 16 militants involved. However, five soldiers and 13 civilians also lost their lives in the exchange of fire. In another major development, Islamabad recently arrested Daesh-Khorasan operative Mohammad Sharifullah alias Jafar with intelligence provided by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was later handed over to American authorities for his alleged role in the 2021 Kabul Airport suicide bombing that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 US troops. Ambassador Munir Akram also pointed to the alarming recovery of modern weapons during counterterrorism operations against the TTP in Pakistan. He said these arms were part of military stockpiles left behind by foreign forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He criticised the latest report by the UN Secretary-General for failing to highlight the growing terrorist threat in Afghanistan. "It is strange that a report titled 'The Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security' covers humanitarian, economic, and human rights issues but does not address terrorism," he said. Pakistan, he added, would now push for the creation of a counterterrorism working group under the Doha process to develop a structured approach to dealing with the growing militant threat. Ambassador Akram called on the international community to take urgent steps to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a breeding ground for global terrorism. He urged the UNSC to address the security vacuum that has emerged in the region since the Taliban's takeover, warning that inaction would have serious consequences. Islamabad, he said, would initiate consultations to establish a formal mechanism within the UN framework to counter cross-border terrorism. "Pakistan will not allow its security to be undermined, and we will take all necessary steps to protect our people and our interests," he declared.
