Ambassador Akram opened his remarks by criticising Faiq by saying he solely represented himself and not a country or government.
Faiq said that one of these countries on the one hand showed that they had been a victim of terrorism, and on the other hand it lobbied and supported another terrorist group in Afghanistan.
During the UNSC briefing on Afghanistan today, I shared Pakistan’s perspective on the prevailing situation with special reference to restrictions on girls & women & dire humanitarian & economic situation. For us, the fundamental problem pertains to TTP-led terrorism in Pakistan.
— Amb Munir Akram,Permanent Representative to the UN (@PakistanPR_UN) September 26, 2023
Responding to Faiq, Akram took the floor again and said Faiq’s credentials were questionable.”He has no government, he has no representative, he has no credentials and it is an anomaly that the Security Council is obliged to invite him to speak to this council,” the Pakistan envoy added.
Akram accused Faiq of presenting disinformation before the UNSC.
UNSC: Pakistan envoy to UN humiliates Afghanistan representative. Says credentials of Afghan representative to UN @faiq_naseer “questionable” after he points that “countries play double standard, show victim of terorism, but normalise terror” pic.twitter.com/7GpdKtihTf
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 27, 2023
Earlier in his remarks, Akram also said Afghanistan is a strategic imperative for Pakistan. “On the positive side, the Afghan interim government has remained stable with no major internal threats to its authority. The law and order situation in Afghanistan has improved significantly. The Afghan interim government has taken action against Daesh. Corruption has declined drastically,” he added.
My heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support I’ve received amidst recent attempts to undermine Afghanistan’s representation at the UN.
I’m fully aware of the weight this position carries and the complex dynamics at play. Rest assured, my commitment to representing 🇦🇫 &…
— Naseer A. Faiq (@faiq_naseer) September 27, 2023
However, Faiq highlighted during his speech that since the Taliban seized power in 2021, the situation in Afghanistan has not improved. “It has only deteriorated across humanitarian, human rights, social security, and political spheres. Economic and humanitarian crises have deepened,” Faiq said.
“The rights and freedoms of women and marginalized communities have been severely curtailed. Women and girls face strict limitations on their mobility, access to education and participation in public life,” he added.
The council meeting was addressed among others by Rosa Otunbayeva, special rapporteur on Afghanistan and UNAMA chief; Seema Bahous of UN Woman; Karim Bannoune, a Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan Law School; representatives of Russia, the UK, Albania, France, China, Ecuador, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Ambassador Akram claimed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is responsible for a string of cross-border terrorist strikes within Pakistan from Afghanistan that have claimed the lives of brave soldiers and civilians.
He claimed that the TTP terrorists’ acquisition and employment of cutting-edge military hardware—apparently from the supplies left behind by Western forces in Afghanistan—has made border attacks more deadly.
According to Munir Akram, there are more than four million Afghans living in Pakistan, and another 600,000 Afghans have entered the country in the previous two years.
He requested the international community and the interim Afghan government to work with Pakistan to ensure the return of all unauthorised Afghans.
According to Ambassador Akram, Pakistan believes that engagement and cooperation are the only realistic ways to advance a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, notwithstanding the difficulties.
He said that Pakistan remains committed to the goal of a nuclear weapons-free world, addressing regional and global challenges and assuring undiminished security for all States.
He said Pakistan strongly supports all international efforts that seek to promote fair and equitable solutions to disarmament and non-proliferation challenges.
Watch the full discussion here