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Islamabad,
Mar
1:
Pressure
mounted
on
Pakistan
as
heads
of
various
foreign
missions
in
the
country
on
Tuesday
urged
it
to
condemn
“Russia’s
aggression
against
Ukraine” in
the
ongoing
emergency
special
session
of
the
UN
General
Assembly,
which
has
been
convened
to
vote
for
a
resolution
against
Moscow.
In
a
joint
statement,
the
heads
of
mission
of
leading
EU
nations
like
Germany,
France,
Italy
and
others,
including
Japan,
the
UK,
Canada
and
Australia,
pointed
out
that
Russia
launched
an
“unprovoked
attack
and
invaded
a
peaceful
neighbouring
country”.
“As
Heads
of
Mission
to
the
Islamic
Republic
of
Pakistan,
we
urge
Pakistan
to
join
us
in
condemning
Russia’s
aggression
against
Ukraine
and
voice
support
for
upholding
the
UN
Charter
&
founding
principles
of
international
law,”
said
Lis
Rosenholm,
the
Ambassador
of
Denmark
in
Pakistan.
The
193-member
UN
General
Assembly
convened
the
rare
and
unprecedented
emergency
special
session
on
Russia’s
aggression
against
Ukraine
Monday
after
the
15-nation
Security
Council
voted
Sunday
on
a
resolution
to
refer
the
crisis
to
the
most
representative
body
of
the
world
organisation.
India
had
abstained
on
the
resolution,
along
with
China
and
the
UAE,
while
Russia
voted
against
and
11
Council
members
in
favour.
The
statement
noted
that
Russia
launched
an
unprovoked
action
against
Ukraine
that
posed
no
threat
to
it.
“This
constitutes
a
clear
violation
of
the
Charter
of
the
United
Nations
and
presents
a
serious
risk
to
global
peace
and
security,”
it
said.
The
envoys
said
the
international
community
must
work
in
solidarity
and
support
and
uphold
the
rules-based
international
order
“in
these
extreme
times”.
The
other
envoys
who
signed
the
letter
include
Austria,
Belgium,
Bulgaria,
Czech
Republic,
Denmark,
Greece,
Hungary,
Portugal,
Poland,
Romania,
Spain,
Sweden,
The
Netherlands,
Norway
and
Switzerland
as
well
as
the
head
of
the
Delegation
of
the
European
Union
to
Pakistan.
The
high
commissioners
of
Canada,
the
United
Kingdom
and
the
Charge
d’Affaires
of
Australia
to
Pakistan
are
also
signatories
to
the
letter.
The
envoys
also
said
in
the
letter
that
a
draft
resolution
brought
in
the
UN
Security
Council
on
February
25
was
vetoed
by
Russia.
Eleven
members
voted
in
its
favour
but
three
members,
including
China,
India
and
UAE,
abstained.
The
statement
comes
ahead
of
the
vote
in
the
UN
General
Assembly
on
a
draft
resolution
condemning
Russia’s
action
as
well
as
seeking
an
end
to
its
aggression.
According
to
diplomatic
sources,
Pakistan
might
abstain
from
voting
in
the
UN
General
Assembly
session
in
order
to
avoid
taking
sides
in
the
conflict.
According
to
a
UN
statement,
some
100
countries
are
expected
to
address
the
General
Assembly,
which
is
scheduled
to
vote
on
a
draft
resolution
on
Ukraine,
tentatively
expected
on
Wednesday.
Pakistan
became
conspicuous
in
the
Ukraine
crisis
as
Prime
Minister
Imran
Khan
was
visiting
Moscow
when
the
attack
was
ordered
by
President
Vladimir
Putin.
Foreign
Minister
Shah
Mahmood
Qureshi
said
at
a
press
briefing
that
it
was
a
bilateral
visit
planned
well
ahead
of
the
eruption
of
the
conflict.
He
also
said
that
Islamabad
would
not
take
sides
and
later
on
he
held
a
telephonic
conversation
with
Ukrainian
counterpart.
While
a
UNSC
resolution
condemning
Russian
invasion
of
Ukraine
would
have
been
legally
binding
and
General
Assembly
resolutions
are
not,
voting
in
the
193-member
UN
body
is
symbolic
of
world
opinion
on
the
crisis
and
carries
political
weight
as
they
represent
the
will
of
the
entire
UN
membership.
PTI