The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly sought an explanation from Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Munir Akram, on the controversial speech.
The committee rejected Muneer Akram’s apology for his controversial statement on Pashtuns and directed him to apologize at the UN forum.
The meeting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly was held under the chairmanship of Mohsin Dawar, in which Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar and senior officials of the Ministry participated.
Munir Akram participated in the meeting through video link and replied that it was not a written statement, it was an open conversation.
Mohsin Dawar said that he spoke controversially on the culture of Afghanistan in the speech and linked the issue of women with the culture and said that it is not according to Islam.
He further said that these are not your words but the words of Pakistan as you are representing the country in the UN.
Munir Akram explained that it was an informal meeting, not a written statement, it was being asked to stop humanitarian aid to the Afghan government because of its actions against women in Afghanistan.
He further said that I said that if the aid is stopped, poverty will increase further. I mistakenly said Pashtun instead of Taliban in the speech.
Committee member Ghulam Ali Talpur asked Munir Akram, “Shouldn’t you resign?”
To this, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN replied that having served the country for 50 years, you think that if I should be fired for one mistake, then the government can do it.
On this, Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar said that Munir Akram made a mistake, accepted it and apologized.
On this, the Chairman Committee said that Munir Akram’s speech has a flow, which reflects a mind.
