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Madam President,
Thank you for convening today’s meeting where at the initial start of the speech I would like to remember, on behalf of my country, the tremendous contribution of Ambassador Holbrooke. We offer our condolences to his family and the people and the Government of United States. I also thank Mr. Stefan Mistura.
The Secretary General’s quarterly reports on Afghanistan are a credible compendium of political and security developments in Afghanistan. The report for December notes important milestones in Afghanistan’s march on the road of peace and security. It also provides useful insights into the international community’s efforts. The report is factual and substantive.
The report rightly underscores the importance of the need for effective follow-up of the Kabul Conference, in terms of transition to full Afghan leadership. Before my statement, I recognize two important regional players – Iran and India have made the same points. The Secretary General has emphasized strong partnership between the Afghan government and the international community, for successful transition which must have tangible benefits to the Afghan people. Accordingly, our collective support to the Afghan government should be unwavering and tailored to their indigenous local needs.
Madam President,
The Secretary General’s report has documented 66% increase in security-related incidents in Afghanistan for the reporting period --- compared to the same period in 2009. This threatens Afghanistan’s stability and requires a dispassionate analysis and political analysis.
The security problem in Afghanistan is a vexing question related to three decades of war, capacity of Afghan Security Agencies, political dispensations, issues of governance; and exploitation of all these factors by criminals and drug traffickers. The problem of security cannot be simplified by just externalizing it.
The Secretary General had rightly noted the importance of the Afghan Government’s ‘Peace and Reintegration Programme’ in the context of security. The London and Kabul Conferences had also emphasized this point. A reconciled-Afghanistan, at peace with itself, is the best guarantor of its own security.
The current Wolesi Jirga elections have been held with some strange results. However, the aspect of democracy should not be overlooked in all the discussions on Afghanistan. The recent Afghan elections have shown some very interesting results which need to seen carefully. For instance, in the Ghazni province, Hazaras have been elected on the seats which were traditionally bagged by the Pushtoons in the area and if you recall the traditional pride displayed in “The Kite Runner” by various Afghan tribes, this does not seem very credible. So it needs to be viewed with some interest and the aspect of democracy should not be overlooked.
Pakistan supports an ‘Afghan-led’ and inclusive reconciliation process, with a view to bringing the opposition groups into the political mainstream. We had welcomed the establishment of ‘the High-level Peace Council’ in Afghanistan as well as the initial reaching out to important countries like Saudi Arabia.
Sustained engagement of the Peace Council with the UN and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) for support and facilitation of reconciliation process will be important. We are supportive of such engagement. The Security Council should be also a willing partner of the Afghan people in this important and delicate process.
Madam President,
Pakistan wants durable peace and stability in Afghanistan. Stability and development in Afghanistan is in our national interest. In this regard, I would like to highlight three areas of vital significance:
Firstly, safe return of over I.5 million registered Afghan refugees living in Pakistan is only possible in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. We have paid enormous economic, social and security cost of housing refugees for three decades. The prospect of hosting them indefinitely due to prolonged conflict in Afghanistan creates a sever burden on us and is not in our interest.
Secondly, stability and security of Afghanistan is indispensable for us after the recently concluded Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit and Trade Agreement (APTTA). In the past, our commercial and industrial sector had suffered due to smuggling of goods from Afghanistan into Pakistan, despite the Transit Trade Agreement of 1963. As state institutions in Afghanistan regressed in 1980s and 90s, smuggling increased many-folds. We therefore need a peaceful Afghanistan, with strong Customs and Border Security apparatus, to partner with us in ensuring smooth implementation of APTTA.
Thirdly, a stable Afghanistan can guarantee successful completion of important energy projects that benefit not just Pakistan but the entire region. Preliminary work on some of these projects has already started. We greatly value this progress. These trans-regional economic projects are conceivable only in a secure and stable Afghanistan.
The quest for peace and stability in Afghanistan is driving our bilateral relations into a long-term cooperative partnership. We are committed to strengthening ties in all areas. The visit of our Prime Minister to Afghanistan this month and the visit of President Hamid Karzai to Pakistan in September have reaffirmed and cemented this commitment.
We have pledged to continue with the ongoing assistance programmes in Afghanistan. In addition to ongoing projects, Pakistan will construct another 50 schools and basic health units across Afghanistan, despite the fact, as you know, we need these ourselves.
Pakistan is also ready to assist in capacity building of Afghan Security forces.
We are also engaged in security and intelligence cooperation with Afghanistan, including through the Tripartite Commission, which also includes the United States and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
We do not want Afghanistan to become a theatre for proxy wars.
Madam President,
Pakistan greatly value positive contributions of the UNAMA, under dynamic leadership of SRSG Stefan de Mistura in Afghanistan. In March next year, the Council will consider its mandate. We align ourselves with objectives of UNAMA and call upon the Security Council to provide it with necessary resources to meet its challenges.
I avail myself of this opportunity to thank Ambassador Apakan of Turkey and his delegation, for ably guiding the Council’s work on Afghanistan this year.
I also wish to compliment all the outgoing members of the Council, for their important work during last two years and congratulate all the incoming members on assumption of their membership next month.
I thank you.