PM Imran minces no words at UN, calls out Modi govt for oppression of Kashmiris – Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday.

The highlight of his 45-minute speech was an intense criticism of India for its annexation of occupied Kashmir and the continuing restrictions imposed on the region.

The prime minister began his broad, sometimes seemingly extemporaneous speech, saying he is honored to represent Pakistan in the world forum.

He said he would not have come to the UN if he did not feel that some "urgent matters" should be addressed.

Watch: & # 39; Passionate, forceful & # 39 ;: Twitterati, unanimous, praises Prime Minister Imran's statements about Kashmir at UNGA

Kashmir Oppression

The issue of which the prime minister spoke in more detail was the oppression of the people of occupied Kashmir.

"When we come to power, we swear that we would try to bring peace.

"We went to fight the war on terror and faced losses of [thousands of people].

"I opposed the war because in the 1980s we joined the fight against the Soviets financed by Western countries.

"The Mujahideen were trained by the Pakistan army and undertook the fight for freedom. The Soviets called them terrorists and we called them freedom fighters."

"In 1989, the Soviets withdrew; the Americans packed up and left. Here we had indoctrinated them in jihad against foreign occupation and now that the United States had taken over, we were supposed to tell them that it was no longer jihad."

"And then the United States turned against us and it was a nightmare."

"The Taliban were in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda was there; what did Pakistan have to do with that?

"When we came to power, we decided that we would dismantle what was left. I know that India is still claiming
That these groups are there.

"I welcome the UN observers, see for yourself.

"Now we have a relationship with Afghanistan, Russia and then we wanted to repair the barriers with India."

"I have friends in India and I love going to India. So, when my party came to power, we communicated with India and (we said) resolved the differences through trade."

"(Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi said there were terrorist attacks from Pakistan. We said we have attacks in Balochistan on his part.

"Unfortunately we are not moving forward. Our Foreign Minister was in the United Nations General Assembly, but they canceled the meeting."

"Meanwhile, a 20-year-old boy from Kashmir was immolated in the Indian convoy. And India blamed us.

"I talked to the Indian audience on television. I said that if you give us any proof, we will immediately take action, because we have repressed these groups. They bombarded us (instead), and retaliated."

"We immediately returned the [captured Indian] pilot, saying we don't want a climb.

"Instead of taking that as a gesture of peace, [Modi claimed that] He had taught Pakistan a lesson; that their planes had killed 350 terrorists.

"Complete lies. They just killed 10 of our trees, which was quite painful given that we are growing all these trees."

The prime minister said that Modi's entire election campaign revolved around an anti-Pakistan narrative.

"In his election campaign, Modi used words like & # 39; This is just a breakthrough. The movie is about to begin & # 39; and & # 39; I entered Pakistan and taught them a lesson & # 39;".

He said that at that time, Pakistan attributed it to "politicians who made statements" and would return to normal relations with India after the elections.

The prime minister said that India did not respond to Pakistan's proposals after the re-election of Modi as prime minister and it was soon discovered that India was trying to push Pakistan to the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to take the country to bankruptcy

"It was then that we realized that there was an agenda and that agenda became evident on August 5, when India went against 11 resolutions of the United Nations Security Council that say that Kashmir is a disputed territory and that the people of Kashmir have the right to self-determination, "he said.

"They were against the Simla Agreement, which tries to resolve our differences by bilateral means.

"Actually, they went against the Constitution of India. Illegally, they revoked Article 370, which granted Kashmir special status and [stationed] 180,000 additional troops there, "Prime Minister Imran said, providing the backdrop for India's actions in Kashmir.

He said the total number of security forces in Kashmir is 900,000 and put eight million people in Kashmir occupied under curfew.

He said the answer to how someone can do something like this lies in the RSS ideology followed by Modi.

"Now I must explain what RSS is. Modi is a vital member (of RSS).

"It is an organization inspired by Hitler and Mussolini. They believe in racial purity and superiority. They believe they are an Aryan race."

"They believe in the ethnic cleansing of Muslims. They believe that the golden age of Hindu rule was stopped by Muslims and then by British occupation."

"What kind of people bring 900,000 soldiers to eight million people? These are human beings," Prime Minister Imran said to applaud the audience.

"What comes with Aryan superiority is arrogance and makes people make mistakes and do stupid and cruel things like what Modi has done."

"It is arrogance that has blinded Modi. Have you thought about what will happen after the curfew is lifted in Kashmir?

"What will he do? Do you think the people of Kashmir will calmly accept the status quo?"

"(Almost) 100,000 cashmere have died in the last 30 years because they were denied their right to self-determination. Eleven thousand women were raped.

"The world has done nothing.

"What will happen will be a bloodbath. People will leave.

"Have you thought about what happens then? Has anyone thought what happens when there is a bloodbath?

"What do you think they (the cashmere) will think about the way they were locked up?"

He noted that even local pro-Indian leaders were taken out of Kashmir as part of the repression and 13,000 children were picked up and taken to unknown places.

"What will people do then? [They will] go outside The soldiers will shoot them. They have already used pellet guns.

"And so, the cashmere will be further radicalized. There will be another Pulwama. And they (India) will blame us."

"They are already blaming us. They said we have 500 terrorists in line to enter."

"Why would we send 500 terrorists when there are 900,000 soldiers?

"There will only be more cruelty against cashmere. It will give them the excuse to sing about the mantra of Islamic terrorism."

"Everyone turns around.

"How do we benefit (Pakistan) from greater cruelty against the people of Kashmir?"

Prime Minister Imran said there is no other narrative left for India. "Whatever happens we will be guilty.

"What does Modi think the 180 million Muslims in India are thinking? Are they not seeing these trapped cashmere?

"Don't you think they will radicalize too? Then we'll have to blame ourselves again.

"What about the 1.3 billion Muslims who see this and know that this is only happening because they are Muslims? What do you think they would think?

"What would the Jews of Europe think if 8,000 Jews were trapped? Are we children of a lesser God?

"Among the 1.3 billion (Muslims) someone will take up arms," ​​he said, citing the analogy of a Hollywood movie.

"Muslims will become radicals for this, not for Islam. Because they don't see justice."

"I imagined locked up for 55 days. There are rapes, soldiers entering the rooms.

"Would I like to let this humiliation continue? I would take a gun."

"You are forcing people to radicalization," he said, addressing the Indian leadership.

"This is one of the most critical moments. There will be a reaction to this and Pakistan will be blamed."

"Two nuclear countries will face each other.

"Before heading there, the UN has a responsibility; that is why the UN was created in 1945. It was supposed to prevent this from happening.

"I feel like we are back in 1939 [when] Czechoslovakia was annexed.

"Is the international community going to appease or defend justice or humanity?

"If a conventional war begins between the two countries, assuming that a country seven times smaller faces an option to surrender or fight until the end."

"When a nuclear country struggles to the end, it has consequences far beyond borders."

"This is a UN test. You were the one who guaranteed cashmere the right (of self-determination).

"This is the time not to appease but to take action."

He said that the first action that India should take is to lift the curfew in occupied Kashmir and then release all detained prisoners.

"And then the world community must grant cashmere the right to self-determination," said the prime minister.

& # 39; Humans facing a great catastrophe & # 39;

The first issue addressed by Prime Minister Imran in his speech was climate change. "Many leaders talked about climate change, but I think there is a lack of seriousness (to address the problem).

"Perhaps some of the leaders who can do a lot do not realize the seriousness of the situation. There are many ideas but they are nothing without funds," said the prime minister.

He noted that Pakistan is on the list of the ten countries most affected by climate change.

"We depend on our rivers and 80 percent of our water comes from glaciers. Glaciers are also found in India in the Himalayas, Karakorum and the Hindu Kush.

"If nothing is done, we are afraid that humans will face a great catastrophe."

"In my country where I came to power in KP, we planted a billion trees and planned to plant 10 billion to counteract the effects of global warming.

"A country cannot do anything, it has to be a combined effort of the world."

He said that countries that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions must be driven and the UN must take the initiative.

Money laundering & # 39; devastating developing world & # 39;

Prime Minister Imran said the second topic he was talking about is even more critical: that of illicit financial flows.

"Every year, billions of dollars leave the poorest countries and go to the rich countries, diverted by the ruling elites of the western world.

"This is devastating the developing world. It is impoverishing them. The gap between rich and poor is growing because of them."

He regretted that the seriousness with which drug money or terrorism financing is treated is not granted to money laundering from poor countries.

"In my country, when I took over our government a year ago, our total debt increased four times in the previous ten years.

"As a result, the total revenue we raise in one year, half was spent on debt service. How are we going to spend money on our human beings, 200 million people, if half of the money goes to the service of the debt?

"Our country was sacked by the ruling elite. And they were able to easily take out their money. And when we locate properties in the western capitals bought for this money through corruption and money laundering by these corrupt leaders, we find it very difficult retrieve it. " "

He said that if the money was recovered, it could be spent on human development.

"But it's so hard [owing to] The laws that protect these criminals. We don't have the money to have expensive lawyers and spend millions and millions of dollars. We need help from rich countries.

"It is critical. Rich countries must show political will. They cannot allow this to happen."

"How can poor countries spend money on human development when this money can easily leave our countries?

"Unless rich countries intend to build walls to stop economic refugees [from] Coming as we see now, you must take action. They must take action now.

"Corrupted elites should not be allowed to park their money (abroad). Why do we have these tax havens?

"Why should the rich not pay taxes? Why are these secret accounts legal?

"Sooner or later there will be a crisis if the rich continue to get rich and the poor get poorer."

"I hope the UN takes the lead in this. The IMF and the ADB must find their way."

& # 39; Islamophobia is creating divisions & # 39;

In addressing the prevalence of Islamophobia, Prime Minister Imran said it has grown at an alarming rate.

"Islamophobia is creating divisions, hijab It is becoming a weapon; A woman can take off her clothes but can't put on more clothes.

"It began after September 11 and began because certain Western leaders equated Islam with terrorism.

He questioned the use of the term & # 39; radical Islamic terrorism & # 39; saying: "There is only one Islam.

"What message does this (the term) send? How will a person in New York distinguish between moderate Muslims and radical Muslims?

"This radical Islamic terrorism used by leaders has caused Islamophobia and caused pain to Muslims."

"In European countries it is marginalizing Muslims, and this leads to radicalization.

"Some of the terrorists were from marginalized Muslim communities. We, the Muslim leaders, have not addressed this issue.

"The basis of all religions is the compassion and justice that sets us apart from the animal kingdom."

He said that religion was seen differently in the West, so that the reaction in the Muslim world to evil Islamic personalities was not understood.

"I hear things so strange that Islam is against women and minorities.

"In the first state of Islam, Madina, the state assumed responsibility for the weak, taxed the rich, spent money on the poor [and] He announced that all human beings come from Adam, therefore, they were equal.

"The Prophet (Muhammad PBUH) lives in our hearts. The holocaust is treated with sensitivity because it causes them pain (to the Jews)."

"That's all we ask. Don't use freedom of expression to cause us pain," he concluded.