UNGA@74: A tale of two nations… Modi a global statesman, Imran a tin-pot dictator!
- Modi speaks on terror, climate, poverty
- Imran rants on n-war, Kashmir
New York: The contrast could not have been starker: in their much-awaited addresses at the 74th Annual Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) here on Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke like a global statesman—on issues afflicting the world, like terror and climate change—whereas his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan reiterated all that he has been ranting out since August 5: threat to the world due to face-off between two nuclear-armed nations, “justice” to Jammu and Kashmir, et al.
“If there is a nuclear war, its impact will be far beyond the two countries’ borders”, he reiterated, this time in the UNGA, to somehow, somewhere, score a brownie point.
This at a time when just outside the UN headquarters, Pakistani sub-nationalities—the Balochs, the Sindhis and others—were relentlessly demonstrating and drawing the world’s attention to Islamabad’s barbaric practices in crushing freedom of its own people.
In his 17-minute-speech in Hindi, Modi urged nations, without naming Pakistan, to unite in global fight against terrorism, saying it was the biggest threat and challenge to humanity. Focusing firmly on terror, he said lack of unanimity on this crucial matter dented those very principles that were the basis for the creation of the UN.
“We gave the world Buddha, not Yuddha (War),” he remarked. “That is why our voice against terrorism, to alert the world about this evil, rings with seriousness and outrage.”
He said: “That is why, for the sake of humanity, I firmly believe, that it is absolutely imperative that the world unites and stands as one against terrorism.”
He also highlighted his government’s reforms agenda, including climate change, health and cleanliness issues, poverty eradication, quality education, challenges to global economy, etc.
On the other hand, Khan, who was himself not too hopeful about the outcome of his UN speech, raked up the German annexation of Czechoslovakia (1939), trying to draw a parallel with India abrogating the Article 370 to end the “special status” of J&K, hinting that it could be the beginning of a World War!
He also sought to make the J&K issue an issue of 1.3 billion Muslims in the world, most of whose own governments have sided with India on the same issue.
“What is more important: the market of 1.2 billion people (India), or humanity? he asked, and threatened that the Muslims “denied justice”, could be radicalized and pick up arms, in an apparent attempt to blackmail world opinion.
In fact, his speech was so disoriented that while he demanded freedom of the Kashmiris, he also warned that there would be “bloodbath” as soon as curfew was lifted from the state!
Another example of his disorientation came when he appealed to global organizations to be strict against money-laundering, without realizing that this is precisely what the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is doing against Islamabad on terror funding and money-laundering charges!
No wonder, Pakistani TV news channels were bemoaning that Imran Khan is returning to Islamabad empty-handed, even as the Opposition bracing to launch a “March to Islamabad” campaign next month in a bid to topple his government.
