49th Session UNHRC: Intervention by Mr. Aaron Magunna (Research Analyst EFSAS)
16-03-2022, Geneva (Virtual)
Text and video of Mr. Aaron Magunna's Intervention on General Debate Item 3 (Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development) during the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Video of Mr. Aaron Magunna's Intervention on General Debate Item 3 during the 49th Session of the UNHRC
"Mr. President,
The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban has once again turned it into a safe haven for terrorist outfits. As the recent terror attack on a Shia mosque in Peshawar has illustrated, the implications of this are not limited to Afghanistan alone. Terrorism is once again on the rise throughout South Asia.
The growing number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan highlights that Pakistan and Pakistanis have now also become primary targets for attacks. For the Pakistani military establishment, its systemic support for fundamentalism and terrorism, all in the name of strategic depth, has now come to undermine Pakistan’s own national security.
In Pakistan, the main victim of this support for terrorism is the innocent Pakistani civilian population. In Peshawar and elsewhere terrorists target ordinary civilians who have had no say in their country’s foreign policy pursued by a small elite.
Mr. President,
Without institutionalizing democracy and political accountability in both countries, the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan will further spiral out of control. This will increase civilian suffering in the two countries in which the needs of the many have been sold for the wants of the few for so long.
In the interest of the Pakistani population and the international community, this Council must put additional pressure on the government of Pakistan and hold it accountable to fulfill its legal and moral obligations of promoting and protecting human rights.
Carnage will ensue in South Asia if this does not happen.
Thank you".
