Ex-Pakistani envoy criticizes UN's reduced role in Ukraine, Gaza

WASHINGTON:

Pakistan's former ambassador to the US said that the role of the UN, which he described as "the best thing" that happened after World War II, has diminished in the last two decades.

In an interview with Anadolu, Masood Khan said it has become ineffective in overseeing international humanitarian law and human rights on issues such as the Gaza Strip.

"It is still doing a wonderful job when it comes to climate change or sustainable development. And its focus on poverty alleviation, for instance. It works with international financial institutions -- the World Bank, IMF -- and it's a good combination. It's a good collaboration. But I think that we must restore confidence in the United Nations. It has the legitimacy but we must empower it to adjudicate to resolve conflicts," Khan said.

He said the UN should be strengthened for stability.

"In the case of Ukraine, or Gaza, the United Nations has a marginal tool. It should be the at the center of the table, it should set up peace tables, and it should be the arbiter, final arbiter for finding dispensations for peace and security in these two regions," he said.

The Pakistani ambassador said the new world order following World War II gave the international community a set of principles, laws, humanitarian laws and human rights laws that have been violated in Gaza.

"We would say that you have to kind of fix this discrepancy in what we say about the laws, and how we can do on them and how they are practiced, or they're violated," he added.

US and Pakistan relations

Khan was assigned to Washington, the final stop in his career, right after American soldiers withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021.

The vacuum left by the sudden withdrawal of the US from the region and its repercussions on relations with Washington were Khan's first agenda items upon his arrival.

He said it was "a challenging time" and there was uncertainty when he arrived in the US -- both sides realized that the relationship was important.

"Pakistan and the United States had been partners for more than 75 years. And it needed to be rebuilt, recalibrated and reenergized. And that's precisely what we did in the past two years," he said.

"We are focusing on both security and nonsecurity areas, security cooperation, basically comprises counterterrorism regional stability," said the ambassador.

Underlining that the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy with India against China cannot produce a sustainable solution in the region by excluding Pakistan, Khan said increasing regional stability, peace and prosperity can only be achieved if Washington contributes to the establishment of a just order in the region.

"Otherwise, there would be disruptive forces, and they would continue to sabotage the efforts aimed at peace and security," cautioned the former ambassador.

Khan said the US withdrawal from Afghanistan overshadowed Pakistan-US relations with uncertainty and relations have recently been reviewed and restructured based on new principles.

Stating that cooperation between Pakistan and the US, which developed in the 1980s due to Russia's presence in Afghanistan, went through a similar period with Russia's withdrawal from Afghanistan, Khan said cooperation with Washington was reshaped in line with the changing dynamics after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Cooperation in investments

Khan said Afghanistan has stabilized to a great extent since the US’ withdrawal and the interim Afghan government has taken some decisions.

He noted that terrorist organizations such as the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan) and Daesh-K continue to carry out attacks targeting Pakistan using Afghan territory, and negotiations are ongoing with the Kabul administration to prevent further attacks.

Stating that the US has left the region but the threat of terrorism continues, Khan emphasized that it is a "shared responsibility" of the two countries to fight against attacks.

Khan noted that cooperation in investments will be more important than security policies in the new period of Pakistan-US relations, and the relationship will focus on technology, trade, agriculture, energy and climate change.

Stressing that the relations are based on strong ties, Khan argued that although there is no regional security and strategic cooperation, the relations between the two countries have developed in other areas and are resistant to sudden changes.

Pakistan-Türkiye relations

Khan, who worked alongside Türkiye's former envoy to Washington, Hasan Murat Mercan, and current ambassador Sedat Onal during his tenure, said he collaborated with his Turkish counterparts and Türkiye has developed relations with Pakistan in a multifaceted way.

"Pakistan- military relations are very good, excellent. And they are centered into the hearts and minds of the people of the two countries," he said. "And I can foresee that relations between Pakistan and Türkiye, and especially the people of the two countries, would grow in the future exponentially."

Khan noted that in addition to military agreements between the two countries regarding ships, helicopters, UAVs and other weapon platforms, Turkish companies hold an important position as "respected investors" in Pakistan.

Expressing that Türkiye offers significant conveniences and opportunities for Pakistani investors, Khan said: "Pakistani investors find Türkiye to be very hospitable, very welcoming, so they feel very comfortable in Türkiye."