Master of deceit: Key takeaways from Nawaz Sharif's UNGA 2016 address
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the usual hackles at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying that "peace between India and Pakistan" is his primary concern, but human rights abuses in Kashmir must stop. He even hailed slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as "working for peace" in Kashmir, a "martyr".
Sharif, struck all the expected notes asserting that "foreign forces are trying to destabilise Pakistan". Seeking to internationalise the Kashmir question and hyphenating India-Pakistan terrorism issue, Sharif managed to do what he had set out to in the first place, deflect attention from Uri and Pathankot attacks on the Indian Army bases.
Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif addresses 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York. pic.twitter.com/UAtyb6eQI7
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
1. Dodging the question
Sharif, cleverly enough, used the UNGA podium to drive home "xenophobia and Islamophobia" in the rise possibly in India.
In many countries the ghost of intolerance has revived xenophobia and Islamophobia: Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
As he rambled on about anti-Muslim bigotry in the world, he slyly clubbed it with the current crossroads which New Delhi and Islamabad are staring at over Kashmir and terrorism.
2. Pakistan, victim of terror
Instead of owning up or explaining why and how is terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil, Sharif posed as the aggrieved party, saying: "We will not allow foreign forces to destabilise the development of Pakistan. Pakistan itself is a victim of external terrorism."
We will not allow foreign forces to destabilize the development of Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA pic.twitter.com/hJHekgCZnL
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
There was not a mention of the recent assaults on India; instead Sharif went on to explain how Pakistan itself has been bled dry by terror machine that's now out of control.
My country has been the principal victim of terrorism including that supported, sponsored, financed from abroad: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA pic.twitter.com/BDAhUwOXYG
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
Pakistan wants peace with India, we have gone the extra mile to achieve this: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
But this half-truth and not owning up the crimes committed against Indians in India would remain as Sharif's abject failure to rise above the military industrial complex in his country that is chipping away at the foundations of the sham democracy that is Pakistan.
We will not allow externally sponsored terrorism and threats of destabilisation to cause turbulence in Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA pic.twitter.com/ny6V8RfQVt
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
Peace between India and Pakistan cannot be finally achieved without resolution to the Kashmir dispute: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
Pakistan will share dossier with UN Secy General on Indian brutalities in Kashmir: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
3. Dialogue, really?
While Sharif insisted that Islamabad wants dialogue and talks with New Delhi, he forgot to mention that talks and terror rarely go hand in hand. Instead he pushed for an "independent inquiry" into the civilian deaths in Kashmir Valley, allegedly at the hands of Indian paramilitary forces deployed there.
We have gone the extra mile to achieve this, repeatedly offering a dialogue to address all outstanding issues: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA pic.twitter.com/OIEXgnzy10
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
I demand an independent inquiry into the extrajudicial killings in Kashmir,demand an end to the curfew: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
India posed unacceptable pre conditions to engage in dialogue. Talks are no favour to Pakistan,they are in interest of both countries: Nawaz
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
Peace between India and Pakistan cannot be finally achieved without resolution to the Kashmir dispute: Nawaz Sharif #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
4. Lauding Burhan Wani
In fact, not only did Sharif highlight Kashmir and the 80-day curfew in the Valley, he hailed Burhan Wani as a "martyr". On Wani, he said, "The young leader murdered by Indian forces has emerged as a symbol of latest Kashmiri 'intifada.'"
Burhan Wani, the young leader murdered by Indian forces has emerged as a symbol of latest Kashmiri 'Intifada': Nawaz Sharif #UNGA pic.twitter.com/gohl6iiAFy
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
It is evident that Sharif is hardly interested in arriving at any real solution on the terrorism question and he was simply trying to hide behind the fig leaf of injustice to Kashmiris, despite the Pakistani military having a field day dictating and outsourcing terror to India and other countries.
5. Humiliations
However, things have not been entirely rosy for Sharif as a slew of humiliations has befallen Pakistan.
While the US secretary of state John Kerry has asked Sharif to "stop harbouring terror", UNGA has decided that Kashmir as of now would be shelved until the question of terrorism is resolved.
Moreover, Pakistan's current biggest ally, China, has hinted that terrorism is hindering CPEC, or China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which runs through Gilgit Baltistan, part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Even possible snubs at the SAARC summit in Pakistan in November are likely with India and Afghanistan both perhaps boycotting the summit.
In addition, Baloch leader Brahamdagh Bugti wants asylum in India and outside the UNGA in New York huge protests were staged against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Balochistan, Afghanistan and India.
New York: Baloch National Movement activists protest outside #UNGA against Pakistani Army atrocities in #Balochistan pic.twitter.com/h9dLRPjc8C
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
Afghan forces eliminated hundreds of Taliban and ISIS terrorists in Afghanistan, but terrorists have foreign backers: Afghan VP #UNGA
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 21, 2016
It seems Nawaz Sharif didn't see it coming from as many sides before he boarded that plane to New York City to attend the UNGA 2016.