Islamabad (GNP): “Rivers should be channels for peace, not conduits or fault lines for disputes,” said Sardar Masood Khan, Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, China and the United Nations, and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while discussing Pakistan’s priorities at the United Nations General Assembly and the challenges facing the international community.
Sardar Masood Khan said Pakistan’s foremost priority at the United Nations should be to highlight its diplomatic efforts for peace and mediation, particularly its role in encouraging the resumption of negotiations between Tehran and Washington. He noted that Pakistan had pursued this role persistently despite the complexity of the situation. Ideally, he said, such mediation should have been undertaken by the United Nations under its Charter and mandate to prevent conflicts and facilitate agreements, but Pakistan had stepped forward when that role was not effectively performed.
He said Pakistan would also highlight the threat of terrorism emanating from its western border, the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and the need for its resolution in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. Pakistan’s doors for dialogue with India, he added, remain open, and outstanding issues should be addressed through diplomacy rather than conflict.
Sardar Masood Khan also emphasized the issue of water sovereignty, particularly the Indus Waters Treaty, describing rivers as instruments of peace rather than sources of confrontation. He said Pakistan would continue to emphasize principles of peaceful cooperation and the importance of resolving disputes through established international mechanisms.
He further identified climate change and the right to development as important priorities for Pakistan and the wider international community. Pakistan, he said, remains highly vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather patterns, requiring a coordinated international strategy. At the same time, reducing inequalities, alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development should remain central to the international agenda.
On emerging technologies, Sardar Masood Khan said artificial intelligence and generative AI represented both an opportunity and a challenge. The international community must develop appropriate frameworks to integrate these technologies in ways that benefit humanity and prevent their use for harmful purposes.
Discussing the prospects for renewed US-Iran negotiations, he said Pakistan was seeking to persuade both Tehran and Washington to return to the negotiating table. He noted that Pakistan, together with Qatar, had been encouraging both sides to move away from escalation and towards dialogue. According to him, progress had been made towards a framework for further negotiations, but substantial trust-building and diplomatic work remained.
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Sardar Masood Khan said Pakistan would continue using its diplomatic space to promote de-escalation, dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts, while advocating a stronger and more effective role for multilateral institutions in addressing global challenges.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
