Pakistan on Wednesday has been re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for a fifth time again for a three-year term. Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he was “pleased” over Pakistan’s re-election to the UN body and vowed that the country would continue to raise its voice “against Islamophobia and in support of mutual respect”.
Pakistan secured the highest number of votes competing against the five candidates from the Asia-Pacific region contesting for four seats. In a series of tweets, the premier said that Pakistan was committed to uphold human rights for all and would work towards “advancement of tolerance and constructive engagement”. He said that as an HRC member, Pakistan will also continue to “expose” the human rights violations by the Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.
I am pleased with Pakistan’s re-election to UN Human Rights Council for another 3-yr term. We remain committed to upholding human rights for all, prioritizing advancement of tolerance & constructive engagement. We stand resolute against Islamophobia & in support of mutual respect
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 14, 2020
“The international community has once again reposed confidence in Pakistan, recognising our contribution to the national and global human rights agenda and strong credentials as a consensus builder in the HRC,” said a statement issued by Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said this re-election was a great opportunity for Pakistan to expose Indian atrocities in Kashmir. In a tweet late night on Tuesday, the foreign minister said the re-election was “a manifestation of the international community’s confidence and trust in Pakistan’s commitment to a progressive national & global human rights agenda.”
Our re-election is a manifestation of the international community’s confidence and trust in Pakistan’s commitment to a progressive national & global human rights agenda. Pakistan Zindabad 🇵🇰 @PakistanPR_UN @PakUNGeneva #PakWinsHRC https://t.co/tWmjiKB6f5
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) October 13, 2020
He said that Pakistan’s four major priorities as a member of the UN body are the Kashmir issue, the rise of Islamophobia, “Muslim causes” and human rights.
