Minister for Health Mohammad Nasir Khan on Monday strongly criticised a proposal by Belize in the 60th World Health Assembly to invite Taiwan as a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The proposal, he said, was deficient in law and practice as well as inconsistent with the established principles of inter-state relations.
The Minister for Health, who is leading the Pakistani delegation to the 60th World Health Assembly (WHA), also stated that Pakistan strongly believed in One-China policy and regards Taiwan as an indivisible part and a province of the mainland which hopefully would return to the mainland soon.
Nasir Khan added that issue of Taiwan's representation at the United Nations had been conclusively settled by the UN over 30 years ago vide UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) of October 25, 1971 which decided to restore all rights to the People of China and to recognise the representative of the Chinese government as the sole legitimate representation of China to the UN. This decision was also endorsed by the WHA resolution No 251 in 1972.
The motion presented by Belize for Taiwan to become a member of WHO was rejected by an overwhelming majority of votes both in the General Committee and plenary of the WHA. One hundred and forty-eight countries including Pakistan voted for deletion of this proposal as against 17 countries that voted in favour of the proposal.