Pakistan alleges India didn’t allow it to speak at UNSC on Afghan situation

Islamabad, Aug 16 (PTI) Pakistan on Monday accused India of using the UN forum for political purposes, alleging that Islamabad was once again not allowed to speak at a Security Council emergency meeting on the issue of Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a series of tweets after the meeting, said that it was “unfortunate that Pakistan was denied the opportunity to speak at today’s UNSC meeting on Afghanistan once again.” “At this critical juncture in the destiny of Afghanistan, India’s partisan & obstructionist actions, repeatedly politicising this multilateral platform, who’s raison dêtre is peace, speaks volumes of their intention for Afghanistan and the region,” he said in one of his tweets.

After Afghanistan, it is undeniably Pakistan that has been a victim of decades of this conflict, he said, adding that Pakistan continues to demonstrate a constructive role in Afghanistan, including facilitating peace that is Afghan-led and owned among many economic and humanitarian efforts.

Qureshi said Pakistan cannot stress enough the importance of the international community to remain engaged and involved in Afghanistan in a constructive manner.

It was for the second time that the UNSC shut its door on Pakistan since India assumed its presidency this month, according to Pakistani officials.

Last week, there was a debate on the situation in Afghanistan but Pakistan was not invited to speak despite its request, they said. PTI SH CPS AKJ CPS