Pakistan and the UN: Ambassador Jamsheed Marker Recalls Successes and Failures

"I will introduce a man with whom I am proud to share my nationality," said Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, President of AKU, as he welcomed Ambassador Jamsheed Marker to speak at a lecture held at Aga Khan University on 21 January 2003.  The Ambassador's presentation, on "Pakistan and the United Nations" was part of a special lecture series, endeavouring to provide students with a broad-based education by enriching their understanding and appreciation of the humanities and social sciences. The general public also benefits from this interaction with personalities of international repute.

Ambassador Jamsheed Marker, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General, speaking on 'Pakistan and the UN' at AKU auditorium.

Ambassador Marker's distinguished career includes the post of the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General and ambassadorships in the USA, Russia, Japan, Germany and Scandinavia. Speaking on the chosen topic, the Ambassador said, "It is important to remember that Pakistan from its very conception has been a member of the UN; not just an idle sitting member, but a very active one". He also highlighted that with 191 countries competing for a total of 10 seats on the UN Security Council, Pakistan was about to start its second two-year term within a space of 10 years. "This is a measure of the respect which Pakistan enjoys in the UN," Ambassador Marker said.

Dwelling on the present-day situation across the globe, Ambassador Marker shifted his focus to the issue of terrorism. He said, "Pakistan has subscribed to the resolution of terrorism and has been very active in pursuit of the fight against terrorism". The Ambassador explained that there are different types of terrorism, and the world today tends to overlook some of the insidious forms." I speak particularly of the state-inspired terrorism in Kashmir, where you have a repression of a people who are seeking their independence, a better way of life, and not able to do it."

Ambassador Jamshed Marker (L) presented with a souvenir by President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, AKU

Ambassador Marker explained that the issue of Kashmir has been a recurrent area for discussion in the UN for over half a century. "Kashmir and the Middle East are the two major problems which have persisted throughout, and, to a large extent, represent the failure of the United Nations system," he admitted. He said that the Kashmir problem had remained unresolved because the resolutions in that regard had been adopted under Chapter Six, which recommended continued negotiations of one kind or another, but did not put any obligations in terms sanctions or actions, by the other member states.

The Ambassador continued that over many years the Soviet Union had kept Kashmir off the agenda by exercising its veto power. "Today, of course, much water has flown under the bridge. there have been changes of conditions, of political situations. We need to view this in a much more realistic fashion, but the fact remains that it (Kashmir) is still on the UN agenda," he said. In the question answer session following the lecture, he told the audience that "If you think the Kashmir issue will be resolved tomorrow, then my answer is no". To another question as to why the UN had succeeded in addressing the East Timor issue so promptly yet failed to do likewise with the Kashmir situation, Ambassador Marker emphasised that both the parties involved in East Timor had accepted UN mediation, which was not the case in Kashmir as India is not willing to agree to any such negotiations.

Elaborating on the UN's peacekeeping function, Ambassador Marker said that Pakistan had made major contributions to these efforts. He said that while the largest number of Pakistani troops was based in Sierra Lone, other Pakistani contingents were also serving in Kosovo, East Timor, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Western Sahara, and on the Iraq-Kuwait border. He said that Pakistani troops had always been appreciated for their discipline, hard work and devotion to duty and bravery.

While briefly explaining the structure and workings of the UN, the Ambassador highlighted that its budget of US$ 2.6 billion was far too meagre for its noble aspirations. He added, "When we think of the UN, we tend to overlook what it has achieved, and instead look at all the things in which it has failed." Thus, he said, its work in the elimination of small pox and other killer diseases, the care for refugees and the eradication of hunger it overlooked. "Today there is no reason for anybody in the world to die from hunger, unless it is man-made, "said the Ambassador. Perhaps even more important is the role of the UN in the process of decolonisation, continued the Ambassador. "The figures speak for themselves. There were 50 members when the UN was founded and there are191 members today. These are all countries that have become independent, in one way or another, through the efforts of the UN," said Ambassador Marker.

Earlier, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, introducing Ambassador Marker to the audience, recalled the eminent speakers' numerous achievements.  He described the Ambassador as a scion of a family that had rendered tremendous service to Pakistan, and lauded his role as Pakistan's representative on the international arena.