Tawqeer Hussain
Without naming the two countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at both China and Pakistan in his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Saturday.
The Prime Minister said that countries with regressive thinking use terrorism as a political tool but don’t understand that it is as big a threat for them as well.
“It is very important to ensure that the soil of Afghanistan is not used for spreading terrorism and terrorist attacks,” Prime Minister Modi said while taking about the situation in Afghanistan, where Taliban has claimed the Government post US withdrawal.
He added, “It must be ensured the volatile country is not used to spread terrorism or launch terror attacks”.
“We need to ensure that no country tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests,” Pm Modi stated.
“At this time, people of Afghanistan, women and children and minorities need help. We must fulfil our duties by providing them with assistance,” the Prime Minister said.
Pakistan’s neighbours, including Afghanistan, India and US have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants, a charge Pakistan denied.
In an indirect swipe at China, the Prime Minister said that oceans of the world must be protected from the race for “expansion”.
“Our oceans are also our common heritage. That’s why we have to keep in mind that we use ocean resources, not abuse. Our oceans are also the life-line of international trade. We have to keep them safe from the race of expansion and exclusion,” The Prime Minister said.
The statement comes in the back drop of the rising concerns about China’s expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region.
PM Modi further stressed on the need to strengthen global organisations like the United Nations, whose credibility has come under question lately.
“The UN has been facing many tough questions today, be it over climate crisis or the origin of Covid pandemic. The ongoing proxy wars in many parts of the world – terrorism and the current crisis in Afghanistan have deepened these questions,” he said.
“With regard to the origin of Covid-19 and the ease of doing business rankings, institutions of global governance have damaged the credibility they had built after decades of hard work,” he said.
The global community has been unable to trace the origin of the Covid 19. Western Countries accuse China of developing it in Wuhan lab, where the virus was leaked, a charge simply denied by China.
Prime Minister also stressed to strengthen the UN to protect the Global Order, Global Laws and Global Values.
