ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Munir Akram has called for the establishment of an independent technocratic government in Sudan to manage the transitional period and urged warring parties to declare a ceasefire, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.
The war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023 over disputes regarding the integration of the two forces, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and left half of the Sudanese population facing hunger.
The conflict has also triggered waves of ethnically driven violence, largely blamed on the RSF, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. The UN says that nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s population, or more than 30 million people, will need aid this year.
“The appointment of an independent prime minister and formation of an independent national technocratic government to oversee the transitional period could be steps in a positive direction,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency quoted Akram as saying at a meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to discuss the Sudan situation.
“The conflict will not be resolved on the battlefield [and] war will only bring more death and destruction to the Sudanese people.”
Akram condemned the signing of a charter by the RSF and its allies for a parallel governing authority in Sudan.
“Any such external intervention and any scheme that undermines the UN Charter principles will further complicate the conflict, prevent an early solution and further undermine regional and international peace and security,” he said.
The Pakistan envoy urged warring parties in Sudan to abide by the international humanitarian law and facilitate humanitarian assistance in the affected areas.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell said the Sudanese children were enduring “unimaginable suffering and horrific violence,” calling for an immediate end to the conflict.
“This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education and protection,” she said.
“I met with families and children who are living through this nightmare. Their stories are heartbreaking – and demand immediate action.”
At UNSC, Pakistan calls for ceasefire, technocratic government in Sudan
https://arab.news/jbmk7
At UNSC, Pakistan calls for ceasefire, technocratic government in Sudan
- The war between Sudan’s army and Rapid Support Forces has displaced around 12 million people since 2023
- Pakistan’s envoy says any scheme that undermines UN Charter principles will further complicate the conflict
EU criticizes Pakistan over jailing of rights lawyers, flags free speech concerns
- EU says the convictions of Imaan Mazari-Hazir, Hadi Ali Chattha violate freedom of expression
- Both lawyers were arrested last week over social media posts under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws
KARACHI: The European Union on Thursday criticized Pakistan over the conviction of two human rights lawyers for their social media activity, saying the ruling ran counter to freedom of expression and the independence of the legal profession, core democratic principles that Islamabad is committed to uphold under international law.
Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha were arrested last Friday as they were on their way to a court appearance and were later remanded to two weeks in judicial custody.
Authorities accused them of violating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over posts on X that they said incited ethnic divisions and portrayed the military as being involved in “terrorism.” Both deny the allegations.
“The conviction of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha over social media activity goes against freedom of expression and independence of lawyers,” Anouar El Anouni, the EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, said in a post on X. “These are not only key democratic principles but also part of Pakistan’s international human rights commitments.”
Pakistan is one of the largest beneficiaries of the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), which grants duty-free access to most European markets in return for implementing 27 international conventions covering human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and good governance.
Pakistan’s GSP+ status came under scrutiny in the past after, in April 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for an immediate review, citing concerns over violence against religious minorities, curbs on media freedom and broader human rights issues.
Earlier this week, lawyers in Pakistan’s capital went on strike and announced plans to stage a protest against the court ruling, which handed Mazari-Hazir and Chattha a cumulative 17-year sentence.
The Pakistani government has not yet responded to the EU statement.
