New Delhi: Outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is currently visiting Pakistan, has drawn attention with his remarks praising Islamabad's contribution to global affairs. Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday, Guterres said that, over more than two decades in different roles, he had seen Pakistan as a "source of solidarity and solutions."
"I am in the closing months of my tenure as United Nations Secretary-General. Before that, I served ten years as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. But I wanted to come to Pakistan for a simple reason. Because for over two decades in different roles, I have seen Pakistan as a source of solidarity and solutions," Guterres said.
UN chief's bizarre praise for handling Afghanistani refugees
He also praised Pakistan for hosting Afghan refugees over several decades, describing the country's approach as an example of "compassion and responsibility."
"Pakistan has shown that, even in difficult circumstances – perhaps especially in difficult circumstances – compassion and responsibility must go hand-in-hand,” Guterres said. He added that Pakistan had “opened its doors to millions of Afghans fleeing conflict and instability," with local communities sharing resources with those seeking protection.
Guterres' remarks have drawn criticism in some quarters, particularly against the backdrop of Pakistan's troubled security record and its longstanding association with militancy-related controversies.
Why is UN chief facing criticism?
Critics have pointed to major terrorist attacks, including the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, while questioning the UN chief's characterisation of Pakistan as a "source of solidarity and solutions." Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks according to the United States, was also found and killed by US forces in 2011 while living in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in a compound located near a major Pakistani military installation.
Guterres' comments have also come amid renewed tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The remarks were made shortly after reports of Pakistani military strikes inside Afghanistan. Afghan authorities have accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks that affected civilian areas, while Islamabad has maintained that its military operations are aimed at militant targets and linked them to security concerns.
The timing has therefore prompted questions over how Pakistan's role as a host to Afghan refugees should be viewed alongside the ongoing military and diplomatic tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. Guterres' comments come as he enters the final months of his tenure as UN Secretary-General, with his legacy increasingly under scrutiny on issues ranging from conflicts and refugees to international peace and security.
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