India stands isolated at UN Security Council during its presidency

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Sat, 10 Dec 2022, 12:51 PM

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 10 (APP): India stood isolated at the UN Security Council when it was the only country that did not vote in favor of a resolution establishing a “humanitarian carve out” to the asset freeze measures imposed by the UN sanctions regime.

The Security Council adopted resolution 2664 dated December 9, 2022 with 14 members of the Security Council voting in favor and one abstaining – India.

The resolution seeks to exempt humanitarian aid from the UN sanctions that would facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations towards the delivery of basic human needs.

The United States and Ireland as co-pen holders of the resolution had circulated the draft resolution earlier in the council under silence procedure that was broken by China and Russia and various rounds of negotiations took place during which India continued to make attempts to manipulate the discussions.

Failing to achieve its objectives, India abstained by being the only country to do so on this resolution in what was yet another attempt to politicize the proceedings of the Council.

India has continued to misuse the platform of the UN security council for domestic politics agendas throughout its two year membership. It has made repeated attempts to use counter-terrorism issues for propaganda purposes with a singular obsession of maintaining a narrative against Pakistan that has zero listeners in the UN Security Council.

India’s concern was not to allow a window of humanitarian help to the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir where India is resorting to massive repression under the guise of combatting terrorism.

The latest abstention by India once again demonstrates the fact that India is not interested in working with the international community for joint global action on issues beyond its domestic national agendas.

Chinese, Pakistani universities develop heat-resistant hybrid rice varieties

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NNPS Desk

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Sat, 10 Dec 2022, 12:35 PM

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BEIJING, Dec 10 (APP):An online session of the 2nd International Cooperation and Development Forum on Honglian Type Hybrid Rice was held in Wuhan, China, here the other day (Friday).

Scientists and officials from China and Pakistan attended the Forum online to explore Sino-Pak cooperation on hybrid rice in the future.
The session was sponsored by Wuhan University, Hubei Association of Science and Technology, and the University of Punjab, China Economic Net (CEN) reported.

Honglian Type Hybrid Rice is the original scientific and technological achievement of Wuhan University.
Honglian Type Hybrid Rice is characterized by its excellent quality, disease and insect multiple resistance, high-temperature tolerance, and high nitrogen use efficiency, which is applicable to be cultivated in countries of high temperature, frequent plant diseases and insect pests and crude grain production along the Belt and Road route like Pakistan.

Incomplete statistics show that the accumulated acreage of Honglian hybrid rice globally so far has exceeded about 30 million hectares.
According to Zhu Renshan, Director of Wuhan University-The University of Punjab Honglian Type Hybrid Rice Joint Research Center, Honglian Type Hybrid Rice was introduced to Pakistan in 2018 and has achieved promising harvests in various demonstrative plots in Lahore, Gujranwala, Vehari, Pakpattan in Punjab, Shikar Pur and Larkana in Sindh, etc., basically covering main rice planting regions in Pakistan.

The field trials and demonstration in Pakistan in 2022 exhibited that the yield of Honglian HP3 is 12.5% higher than that of the control group.

This summer, Pakistan was hit by unprecedented floods and suffered huge losses. “Developing high-yield hybrid rice is of great significance to resume grain production and economic growth after the flood disaster. We sincerely hope Wuhan University – The University of Punjab Honglian Type Hybrid Rice Joint Research Center could become a long-term platform for China-Pakistan agricultural science and technology cooperation to safeguard mutual food security and deepen Pak-China friendship,” Shahzad Sabir, Director, Agriculture Headquarters, Punjab said in the forum.

It’s learned that to cope with global warming, right now new heat-tolerant Honglian hybrid rice varieties more suitable for Pakistan’s local conditions are being developed under Wuhan University – The University of Punjab Honglian Type Hybrid Rice Joint Research Center.

“The joint research work of Wuhan University and the University of Punjab on extremely heat-resistant hybrid rice will promote the research and development of high-yield hybrid rice in Pakistan and improve the level of food security in the country,” Tariq Bashir Cheema, Pakistani Minister for National Food Security and Research once remarked in the international forum themed by “Hybrid Rice Aid for Foreign Countries and World Food Security” this November.

MPA Awais Laghari calls on PM

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Ishtiaq Rao

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Sat, 10 Dec 2022, 12:32 PM

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LAHORE, Dec 10 (APP): Member of Punjab Provincial Assembly Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Laghari called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Saturday.

During the meeting, they discussed the overall political situation in the Punjab province as well as other matters of mutual interest.

UN chief, in a message for Human Rights Day, calls for ensuring human dignity, justice

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NNPS Desk

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Sat, 10 Dec 2022, 12:21 PM

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 10 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has underscored the need for a recommitment to human rights, which, he said, are central to solving global problems.

“Human rights are the foundation for human dignity, and the cornerstone of peaceful, inclusive, fair, equal and prosperous societies,” he said in a message for Human Rights Day on Saturday.

“They are a unifying force and a rallying cry. They reflect the most fundamental thing we share – our common humanity.”

The annual commemoration celebrates the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.

The world is currently facing unprecedented and interlocking challenges to human rights, the UN chief said, such as increased hunger and poverty, shrinking civic space, and a “dangerous decline” in media freedom and the safety of journalists.

Meanwhile, trust in institutions is evaporating, especially among young people, while the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased levels of violence against women and girls.

Racism, intolerance and discrimination are running rampant, the UN chief continued, and new human rights challenges are emerging from what he called “the triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

“And we are only beginning to grasp the threat posed to human rights by some new technologies,” he added. “These trying times call for a reignition of our commitment to all human rights – civil, cultural, economic, political and social.”

Guterres reminded that two years ago, he issued a Call to Action which put human rights at the centre of solutions to the challenges facing the international community.

“This vision is further reflected in the Our Common Agenda report, with its appeal for a renewed social contract, anchored in human rights.”

He said the 75th anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration on Human Rights next year must be an opportunity for action. 

“I urge Member States, civil society, the private sector and others to put human rights at the heart of efforts to reverse today’s damaging trends,” he said.

“On this Human Rights Day, we reaffirm the universality and indivisibility of all rights, as we stand up for human rights for all.”

Pakistan calls for “urgent action” to improve governance of oceans

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NNPS Desk

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Sat, 10 Dec 2022, 12:16 PM

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UNITED NATIONS, Dec 10 (APP):As the world faces a global emergency of the oceans, Pakistan has called for urgent action to improve the governance of the oceans as their “sustenance and sustainability” was inextricably linked with the achievement of all the 17 SDG’s and the 2030 Agenda.

“We need to take urgent action. Improving the governance of the oceans and strengthening legal frameworks are essential to preserve international peace and security, inter-connectivity, the blue economy, and the timely achievement of the SDGs,” said Pakistani delegate Second Secretary Rabia ijaz in her statement at UN General Assembly’s meeting on the Agenda Item 72 (a) Oceans and the Law of the Sea held on Friday.

Pakistan also emphasised the strengthening of legal frameworks to preserve international peace and security, inter-connectivity, the blue economy, and the timely achievement of the SDGs.

The delegate told the meeting that the world currently faced a global emergency of the Oceans which were under relentless threat from human activities.

“Sea levels are rising, coastal erosion is worsening, marine pollution is increasing, marine biodiversity is rapidly declining, and the Ocean is warmer and more acidic,” she said.

The second secretary said that since its inception, the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) had played a fundamental role in promoting legal order and peace in the oceans, as well as ensuring the harmonious and judicious use of ocean resources for all mankind.

“Pakistan also attaches great importance to the work of the three bodies established under UNCLOS – the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA),” Rabia Ijaz remarked.

She said it was essential to balance the need for resource extraction with the preservation of the marine environment and stressed the need for developing a robust and comprehensive regime for exploitation before the commencement of the mining anywhere in the “Area”.

The Pakistani delegate also underlined the need for addressing the question of the possible hazardous impact on marine ecosystems which necessitated continuous negotiations in “good faith” in light of the best available science.

She said as the coordinator of the Group of 77 and China for this year, Pakistan appreciated the progress made during the IGC-4 and IGC-5 to finalize the draft treaty under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) and look forward to reconvening of the next session.

The delegate stressed that the principle of the common heritage of mankind should guide and underpin the new legal regime for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

She told the meeting that the idea of a ‘Blue Economy’ recognized the seas and oceans as main drivers of economic development with great potential for innovation and growth.

“Pakistan’s interest in the Blue Economy emanates from coastline of over 1000 kilometers, an extended continental shelf, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of around 290,000 square kilometers and 2 major ports – Karachi and the newly built deep seaport at Gwadar.”

She said the Indian Ocean offered the promising potential for mutual cooperation and collaboration. But geostrategic competition and the pursuit of military dominance by some States could gravely jeopardize that potential.

She said the international community needed to be cognizant of the fact that any military conflict in South Asia could endanger stability in a region that was critical for global trade and global peace and security.

“We are also concerned at the politicization of the issues related to the South China Sea. The resolutions of the disputes related to the South China Sea are between the countries concerned. Those outside the region should respect the negotiations and the process through which the parties concerned wish to resolve their disputes.”

The delegate reiterated that the Government of Pakistan was fully committed to 2030 Agenda, including SDG 14 pertaining to conservation and sustainable use of oceans and was open to cooperate and collaborate with other friendly nations for this purpose.

India stands isolated at UN Security Council during its presidency

By

Ishtiaq Rao

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Sat, 10 Dec 2022, 12:15 PM