Tag: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

  • UN chief to visit flood-affected areas on Sept 9

    UN chief to visit flood-affected areas on Sept 9

    United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres will pay a ‘solidarity visit’ to the flood-affected areas of Pakistan on September 9.

    “With the tragic situation facing millions of men, women and children impacted by historic floods in Pakistan, the Secretary-General will travel to the country next week for a solidarity visit,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

    According to Dujarric, the UN secretary-general will arrive in Islamabad and will go to the areas most impacted by the unprecedented climate catastrophe. He will also have conversations with displaced families and humanitarian agencies working on the ground.

    He is expected to remain in the country for two days and will leave on September 11.

    Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said it will contribute in a big way to our collective effort to highlight the impact of this disaster.

    On Tuesday, the UN appealed to the world to collect $160 million in aid for the Pakistani flood victims.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres called upon the international community to take more steps to fight global warming and its impacts.

    “Let’s stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change. Today, it is Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country.”

    During the ongoing monsoon season, Pakistan received about 186 per cent higher rainfall than its 30-year national average.

    One-third of Pakistan has been completely submerged by unprecedented floods and the overall death toll is now more than 1,100.

  • India to become the most populous country in 2023

    India to become the most populous country in 2023

    India will become the world’s most populous country next year i.e 2023, beating China, according to a United Nations (UN) report. Currently, India’s population stands at 1.412 billion, compared to China’s 1.426 billion.

    The findings were released by the UN on July 11 to mark World Population Day.

    The latest projections also suggest the world population is expected to reach eight billion by mid-November 2022, 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050, 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and to remain at that level until 2100.

    India is also among eight countries where the population is expected to be concentrated in 2050. The other seven countries are Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “This year’s World Population Day (July 11) falls during a milestone year when we anticipate the birth of the Earth’s eight billionth inhabitant. This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognise our common humanity, and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates.”

    In a tweet, he added, “On ensuring our world can support our needs and those of future generations. On protecting human rights and the ability of all individuals to make informed choices about whether and when to have children.”

  • UN investigation wanted for Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s death

    UN investigation wanted for Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani’s death

    Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi wrote letters to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Michelle Jeria, calling for an impartial but immediate UN investigation into the custodial killing of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, reports Dawn.

    Talking to reporters, Afridi said, “Hurriyat leaders are being killed in custody by the illegal occupational regime of India in Jammu and Kashmir under the garb of the Covid-19 pandemic. Had the UN investigated the custodial murder of Ashraf Khan Sehrai, Geelani’s life could have been saved. Now we fear that other imprisoned Kashmiri leaders including the new All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chief Massarat Alam Bhat, Syed Shabbir Shah, Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi, Dr Qasim Faktu, and others may also be killed the same way.”

    “This loss may turn out to obstruct Kashmiri people’s voice and compromise their long struggle for freedom. I would also like to bring to attention here the matter in which Geelani’s death was handled by the occupational Indian government where they shut down the internet across the Kashmir valley and beefed-up security forces when word of his death spread,” he said.

    Veteran Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani was laid to rest on September 2 amid high security at Hyderpora in Srinagar.

    Syed Ali Geelani’s son told AP that the family had planned the burial at the main Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar as per his will but were disallowed by the police.

    “They snatched his body and forcibly buried him. Nobody from the family was present for his burial. We tried to resist but they overpowered us and even scuffled with women,” said his son Naseem Geelani.