Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani, has expressed disappointment at the negative response from India to Pakistan’s peace efforts. Speaking at the Asia Society conference in New York, Jilani reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peaceful and cooperative relations with India. However, he highlighted India’s illegal actions in India-occupied Jammu Kashmir and the human rights violations against innocent Kashmiris as factors that have worsened relations between the two countries. Jilani also noted the increasing religious extremism in India, particularly against Muslims, which further complicates the situation.
Jilani called for peaceful and constructive dialogues on all outstanding issues in Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized the importance of regional peace and stability in achieving this objective. Jilani also highlighted Pakistan’s stake in a peaceful Afghanistan and its efforts to engage with the Afghan interim government and cooperate with the international community. Pakistan has been hosting close to four million Afghan refugees for nearly four decades, and Jilani expressed pride in the country’s generosity. He also shared the international community’s concerns regarding human rights, particularly women’s rights, girls’ education, and women’s employment in Afghanistan.
On the issue of terrorism, Jilani condemned all forms of it, including state-sponsored violence against religious minorities. However, he rejected any attempt to politicize terrorism, emphasizing that it is a global issue that requires collective action. Jilani also highlighted Pakistan’s biggest threat from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic State Khorasan Province, who use Afghan soil to launch attacks against Pakistan.
Turning to the Ukraine war, Jilani expressed Pakistan’s belief in an amicable resolution of conflicts and respect for UN principles. Pakistan aims to play a constructive role in ending the war and reducing the suffering of the Ukrainian people. Jilani expressed hope for peace to prevail, allowing the people of Russia and Ukraine to enjoy its benefits. He also stressed the importance of mitigating the impacts of the Ukraine-Russia crisis on global food and energy security, with hopes for the early resumption of the black sea grain initiative.