Welcoming agreement between SDF and Government, UN envoy calls for stability and protection of Kurdish rights
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, at the UN Security Council session. PHOTO: RADIOPAK
UNITED NATIONS:
Welcoming the recent agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led coalition of ethnic militias, Pakistan urged Damascus to stay on the path of an inclusive political transition towards a stable and unified country.
“We hope that its faithful implementation will bring stability and strengthen the unity and territorial integrity of Syria,” said Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council, which discussed the situation in Syria.
“Over the past fourteen months, notable steps have been taken to advance Syria’s political transition. Gradual and intricate, these measures nonetheless reflect a move toward stabilization after years of conflict,” he said.
“We hope that this trajectory will continue in a constant and inclusive manner, anchored in national ownership, strengthening state institutions, consolidating security and creating conditions conducive to lasting peace.”
In this regard, the Pakistani envoy also praised recent state initiatives, including the January 16 presidential decree on the rights of the Kurdish community, as constructive steps towards national cohesion.
At the same time, the ambassador said significant challenges remain.
“The threat of terrorism remains acute. The presence and continued activities of terrorist groups, including foreign terrorist fighters, especially the ETIM, pose serious risks to Syria’s regional stability and security,” he said, emphasizing that these elements must be addressed in a coordinated and effective manner, in line with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
“Counterterrorism efforts must remain precise and focused, without confusing state institutions with non-state actors. It is equally important that detention centers housing terrorists are managed and operated responsibly to avoid instability or overflow.”
The dire humanitarian situation, a result of years of conflict in Syria, also requires constant attention, as millions of Syrians require sustained assistance as infrastructure, basic services and livelihoods remain under severe pressure.
“Ensuring safe and unhindered humanitarian access, along with increased support for early recovery, is essential to alleviate suffering and restore dignity,” the Pakistani envoy said, adding that with the lifting of sanctions, there is an opportunity to gradually move from a predominantly humanitarian framework to a revitalization of economic and commercial activity, to enable meaningful recovery.
Reiterating Pakistan’s strong condemnation of Israeli violations of the 1974 Separation Agreement and other destabilizing actions, the envoy termed such actions “unacceptable.”
