ISLAMABAD : Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan permanent representative to theUnited Nations (UN) has denounced the international community’s doublestandards in the implementation of its international obligations to protectcivilians and prevent crimes against humanity.

While speaking in the General Assembly debate on ‘Responsibility to Protectand Prevent Crimes against Humanity’, the Pakistani envoy said“selectivity” has meant that egregious crimes, including killings and massblinding, claim innocent victims in Indian-occupied Kashmir in full view ofthe international community.“The tragic victims in occupied Jammu andKashmir suffer the further indignity of living under an illegaloccupation,” she said.

Lodhi also referred to the grave situation in Palestine, where the failureof the international community to uphold these norms has been what shecalled “most manifest and telling.”

As the killing fields of Gaza were drenched in the blood of over 130innocent Palestinians, including countless women and children, she said,the Security Council stood as a silent bystander to the plight of thelong-suffering Palestinian people. The Pakistani ambassador further addedthat in the current times, the world should not be selective in itsapproach, such as being provoked at some transgressions while choosing towilfully ignore others.

“Against this backdrop, calls for accountability of double standards andselectivity, especially when egregious crimes including killings andmass-blinding are being committed in full view of the internationalcommunity”, she asserted.“We should neither attempt nor accept anyartificial duality between the twin imperatives of legitimacy and legality.”