After meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani army chief General Asim Munir, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry in Islamabad, where global and regional developments, terrorism threats and matters relating to UN peacekeeping missions were discussed.
During the meeting, Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistan is playing a front-line role in the global war on terrorism. According to him, 25 terrorist organisations are currently active in Afghanistan, posing a major threat not only to the region but to world peace.
The interior minister said the international community will have to adopt a joint strategy to deal with this threat. He also expressed the resolve that Pakistan will continue to play its full role in UN peacekeeping missions.
Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistani police officers and personnel are also part of the UN police force, and Pakistan has so far sacrificed 181 lives in peacekeeping missions.
On this occasion, Antonio Guterres praised Pakistan’s role in UN peacekeeping missions, saying Pakistan’s services to world peace are commendable and its participation in peacekeeping missions has always been prominent.
At the end of the meeting, the interior minister thanked the UN Secretary-General for his help and support to Pakistan during natural disasters. The Special Secretary Interior, the Additional Secretary Interior and other senior officials of the interior ministry were also present.
Earlier, on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi.
According to the army’s public relations wing (ISPR), matters of mutual interest, the current regional security situation and the UN’s role in promoting international peace and security were discussed.
ISPR claimed that Antonio Guterres “particularly praised Pakistan’s efforts for the peaceful resolution of regional disputes.”
According to a press release issued by ISPR, the two leaders “expressed their views on various issues, including regional stability, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, India keeping the Indus Waters Treaty suspended, and militancy emanating from Afghanistan.”
The Pakistani army’s public relations wing said Field Marshal Asim Munir reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to international peace and highlighted the country’s services in UN peacekeeping missions.
The press release claimed that the UN Secretary-General paid tribute to the sacrifices and services of Pakistan and its armed forces in the war against militancy and in UN peacekeeping missions.
