Pak envoy raises Kashmir issue yet again in UN

Yet again raising the Kashmir issue in the United Nations, Pakistani envoy Maleeha Lodhi has called for the UN Counter-Terrorism Strategy to focus attention on addressing unresolved disputes, foreign occupation and denial of the right of self-determination as part of measures to stamp out terrorism.

"The provisions of the draft Convention (against International Terrorism) should clearly distinguish between acts of terrorism and the legitimate struggles for self-determination of peoples living under foreign occupation," Pakistan Today quoted Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi as saying to the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee debating on "Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism".

"Brutalisation and oppression of people struggling for their legitimate right to self-determination constitute state terrorism," she said.

"Conflicts undermine development, break down governance, create a sense of injustice and fuel violence," said Lodhi.

"Yet, in the context of preventing extremism, the international community has yet to address longstanding situations of conflict and injustice," she said further while citing the situation in Kashmir and Palestine.

Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to eliminate terrorism, the envoy pointed out that her country had been the principal victim of terrorism, losing more than 60,000 lives.