UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Saturday said she has been encouraged to see that the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan is aligned towards shaping a new future for the people of Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with Radio Pakistan, she said this new future is based on combating poverty, corruption and opening up to investments and tourism. She said Pakistan is such a beautiful country which has so much diversity and so much to show to the world. “I see the country is moving on the right track,” she said. Regarding women empowerment in Pakistan, she said there has been a lot of improvement as several women are currently holding high positions in the country. “They have strong voices in public opinion,” she said, and particularly mentioned Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi, who according to her is one of the strongest voices in New York. Maria Fernanda Espinosa said Pakistan’s contribution in the war on terrorism is an example for the rest of the world. She said Pakistan has waged a successful and sustained effort against terrorism and its anti-terror efforts have been recognized by the international community. She said Pakistan’s overall role in regional peace and security is commendable. She said the country is also playing a very constructive role in Afghan peace process. She also appreciated the way Pakistan has generously hosted millions of Afghan refugees over the last several decades. “This speaks volume about Pakistan’s commitment to peace and security and the international law,” she added. Responding to a question, she pointed out that Pakistan is amongst the most important contributors to the UN peacekeeping missions and “we really recognize and respect the contribution made by the country in our peace keeping operations across the world.” She expressed the confidence that Pakistan will continue to be supportive of the UN peace keeping operations. She said Pakistan is a very strong and reliable partner of the UN. “Apart from its peace keeping contributions, both Pakistan and United Nations have a very good working relationship,” she said, and added that the UN country team in Pakistan is working with government in its endeavors to fight poverty and inequalities. When asked about Kashmir dispute and a tense relationship between Pakistan and India, the UN General Assembly president called for peaceful resolution of all conflicts including that of Kashmir. “Kashmir is a longstanding dispute and its solution calls for dialogue. UN Security Council has a responsibility towards this end but most importantly the conflicts are resolved by the parties involved through political will and constructive dialogue,” she said, and stressed the need for resolution of conflicts. Maria said the role of the UN is to work towards preventing conflicts and sustaining peace and development in the world. “We follow with greater attention the hotspots especially in terms of the conflicts that affect the rights of the people and the development,” she added. Briefing about the role and functions of UNGA, Maria said it is the body that represents all 193 member states. “UNGA is the policy setting body for the international laws. It is the most democratic body because every state either small or big is equally represented in it,” she said. “According to the UN charter, our efforts are focused towards fighting poverty, inequalities and ensure implementation of the sustainable development goals. And I am very committed to making the work of UN General Assembly more efficient and more relevant and closer to the people we serve,” she added. Published in Daily Times, January 20th 2019.