Pakistan has called upon the international community to fully respect and operationalise the 'right to development' and stressed that the international judicial machinery be empowered to ensure the full compliance with international humanitarian law. Ambassador Munir Akram said this in the Informal Thematic Consultations on Cluster-III 'Freedom to live in dignity'. Outlining views on human rights issues, Pakistan made specific suggestions to improve the working of the UN human rights organs and machinery.
Pakistan's Permanent Representative said, "We need to focus on empowering the international judicial machinery to take cognisance of such violations of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Genocide Convention."
He said agreement could be reached to enable the General Assembly to refer such violations to the ICC and/or the ICJ for appropriate examination and prosecution of those responsible, especially the concerned national authorities display the willingness and ability to do so.
He, however, said Pakistan could not embrace the concept of a 'responsibility to protect', adding it appeared to us that it was an evolution of the earlier concept of 'humanitarian intervention'.
He said we could all agree with the Biblical edict that 'we are our brother's keepers'. In this sense, we all have a collective responsibility to ensure a life of dignity for all. But, this responsibility arises much earlier than in those situations where physical intervention becomes necessary."
That responsibility, he said, was better encapsulated in the Charter's vision of achieving universal progress and peace through co-operation and harmonisation of policies within the UN.
It would be better served by acceptance and implementation of the Right to Development. The states and societies come under stress mostly due to poverty, scarcity and underdevelopment. They can and should be helped before they collapse - through international assistance and co-operation.
The international community should not wait with folded hands and watch as countries proceed on the path towards economic, social and political collapse.
"Help should come much earlier. Moreover, the problems of such 'stressed' States and societies should not be made worse by external interference and regional power plays." If and when a State or society has collapsed, international action may become necessary. We have witnessed numerous complex crises in recent years, especially in Africa. In such circumstances, it will be essential to guard against unilateral or unauthorised intervention by regional or global powers to promote their own political, economic or strategic interest.
"Such actions when necessary can only be authorised collectively by the Security Council, and failing this, by the General Assembly. In such circumstances, the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the State concerned must be fully safeguarded and preserved, and authority transferred back as soon as possible to its own people."
He said: "we welcome the reaffirmation in the report of the principle that democracy does not belong to any country or region while one can debate whether or not this is a universal right."
"Democracy need not be construed in terms of elections alone or the transposition of certain standards in disregard of the specificities of each situation. It should be understood in its broader context, as promoting the self-determination of peoples, addressing the politics of scarcity, enabling enjoyment of fundamental human rights and promoting mutual accommodation and harmony within and among nations."
"Our shared ideal of democracy will be difficult to realise universally unless the international community acts effectively to end inequity and inequality in power and wealth among and within nations."
During consideration of the Secretary General's report - 'in larger freedom' - by the General Assembly, Pakistan Ambassador Munir Akram also outlined Pakistan's perspective on the rule of law and the controversial concept of "responsibility to protect."