Pakistan, The United Nations Organisation (UNO) and the world organisations

Q1. Why did Pakistan seek membership of the United Nations in 1947? [7]
Q2. Why did Pakistan apply for membership of the United Nations in 1947? [7]

United Nations is an international organization which was founded in 1945 after World War-
11. Pakistan was a newly born independent state, which emerged on the world map on 14
August 1947 as the largest Muslim country in the world. Pakistan was eager to be
recognized as a sovereign state by all nations of the world. Therefore, Pakistan wanted to
become a member of United Nations Organization as soon as it could. The undivided India
was a member of UNO and as such India continued to be its member. Therefore, Pakistan
also tried to become a member. Pakistan joined the United Nation on 30 September 1947
to make its place in the community of nations. Another important reason was that just
after partition; Pakistan was faced with problems of the accession of Junagarh, Hyderabad
and Kashmir. From the very beginning Pakistan got involved in arguments for the rights of
Kashmiris. Therefore, it was important for Pakistan to seek the membership of UNO in
order to present her case before the Security Council. Pakistan wanted to play its role
against any act of territorial aggression, colonialism, nuclear arms race and racial
discrimination all over the world.
The Canal Water Dispute was also discussed in UNO. It played a significant role when
President of World Bank made a recommendation that it should provide financial and
technical support to resolve the disagreement. The proposal formed the basis of the Indus
Water Treaty signed in 1960. The World Bank also provided finance to help establish hydro-
electric and soil reclamation programmes. Pakistan actively participated in debates of UN,
sent soldiers to peacekeeping forces and had been elected member of Security Council 3
times. Also Pakistan took it upon itself to become a spokesman of many Asian States and
movements, especially Muslim countries. Moreover, Pakistan fully supported the charter of
United Nations and wanted to play its role in supporting the independence struggle of
several Asian and African nations.

Q3. How successful/effective has Pakistan been as a member of world organisations

between 1947 and 1999? Explain your answer. [14]

Effective/Successes : Pakistan has been a member of the world organizations between

1947 and 1999. When Pakistan came into being, it became the member of United Nations
Organisation (UNO) in September 1947. As its member, Pakistan contributed to a number
of UN peacekeeping forces throughout the world, Pakistan has also raised the question of
Kashmir on several occasions and also became the spokesperson for many Asian States
who had not gained independence during the 1950s.

Pakistan received financial and technical support from the World Bank through Indus
Water Treaty in 1960 as well as finance to help establish hydroelectric and soil
reclamation programmes which had been vital for the stimulation of Pakistan's economy
and industries.Despite constant demands by Pakistan in United Nations for the plebiscite
for Kashmir, United Nations had been unable to enforce it. In much the same way,
Hyderabad's complaint about being dismembered by india in 1948 is still before the
Security Council. During 1965 war between India and Pakistan, United Nations intervened
to bring about a ceasefire. The Tashkent Declaration bound both sides to create good
friendly relations in accordance with the United Nations charter. When civil war broke out
in East Pakistan in 1971; leading to war with India, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sent to United
Nations to plead Pakistan's case. Bhutto was most unhappy that United Nations
considered its role as to bring about an end to fighting rather than accept the justice of
Pakistan's case. Pakistan became the member if Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)
in 1964. It held its 2" Summit Conference in 1974 at Lahore in which 35 Muslim countries
participated. Pakistan supported the Palestinian cause as they were Muslim brothers.
Members of OIC had reinforced the image of Pakistan as one of the world leading Muslim
nations and had provided it with much needed interest free loans and grants.

Pakistan also became the member of Regional Co-operation Development (RCD) in 1964
with iran and Turkey; they had good trade, economic and cultural relations. Later in late
1980s, the name of RCD changed to Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). Turkey
supported Pakistan in the wars against India, but was unsuccessful in gaining aid for
Pakistan from other countries. Pakistan is also a member of the Commonwealth. In 1956,
Pakistan declared itself a Republic but Pakistan continued as a member of the
Commonwealth. This membership gave Pakistan political and economic support. In 1950s,
under Colombo Plan, 1 million Pounds were given for Sui gas project. Canada gave $ 40
million for development of railways. Sometimes the relations became strained. Many
Commonwealth members had often argued against the policy of its military rule. Pakistan
joined SEATO and CENTO in 1954 and 1955. Pakistan's membership of CENTO was treated
enthusiastically because many fellow members were Muslim countries. Pakistan joined
Non Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1972. As a member of South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Pakistan developed trade and cultural relations.
Pakistan became a part of many organizations but remained partly successful in achieving
benefits from them, more successes were seen with the Muslim countries only.

Less Effective/Failures:
The downside of Pakistan's membership of the United Nations is its failure to gain a
solution to the Kashmir problem. Membership of SEATO failed to secure any protection for
its problems with India or during the Bangladesh crisis and was mainly designed to prevent
communist aggression in South East Asia. Pakistan also failed to secure aid through the
organisation as well as a permanent military force to protect its members. As a result
Pakistan left SEATO in 1972. According to CENTO, it was declared that if any member was
attacked, it could appeal other members for support, there was a major problem as far as
Pakistan was concerned. The treaty applied to help against communist aggression. This
meant Pakistan received no support in its wars against India, nor was help provided to
prevent East Pakistan breaking away. Membership of CENTO lapsed in 1979 mainly as a
result of the failure of the USA to join the organisation.

Q4. Describe the OIC. [4]

OIC stood for 'Organization of Islamic Conference'. The OIC works closely with the United
Nations and other international organizations. The OIC is currently made up of 57 member
states together with 3 observer states. It was formed in September 1969 and its first
summit was held in Rabat (Morocco). The aim is to promote solidarity and cooperation
among all its member states. Representatives from 24 Muslim nations attended the
conference including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Libya. The charter of OIC was adopted in
1972. Second Islamic Summit Conference was held in February 1974 at Lahore. It was
attended by Yasser Arafat, Chairman of Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), with 35
leaders of other Islamic states. This conference emphasized Pakistan's importance in the
Islamic world. The name and emblem were changed to Organization of Islamic Cooperation
in 2011.

Pakistan and Afghanistan

Q1. How successful was Pakistan in its relationship with Afghanistan between 1947 and
1999? [14]

Successful:
Afghanistan is the immediate neighbour and shares a long border with Pakistan in the
north-west. Pashto speaking people live on both sides of the border which is called the
Durand Line. In 1956, Iskander Mirza visited Afghanistan. During Zahir Shah's time in office
relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan were friendly and during the War of 1965,
majority of Afghans supported Pakistan but the Afghan government chose to stay neutral
despite pressure from other powers. During Z.A. Bhutto's rule, he visited Kabul. Access to
India through Pakistan was granted to Afghan traders and Pakistan made generous
contributions to a fund to deal with the consequences of an earthquake in Afghanistan in
1976. In 1976, Daud and Bhutto visited each other's countries several times on the
encouragement of Shah of Iran who wanted to have good terms on borders. When Zia-ul-
Haq came to power in 1977, he continued to pursue friendly relations. In October 1977, he
visited Kabul and Daud returned the visit in March 1978. Daud was killed when his
government was overthrown and replaced by a communist administration headed by Noor
Muhammad Taraki.

In December 1979, after Taraki was killed by rebels, the Soviet Union intervened with
80,000 Soviet soldiers. Babrak Karmal was appointed the new head. Afghans put up a
resistance to the blatant aggression. This led to the war between Afghanistan and Soviet
Union. Pakistan helped Afghanistan to fight the war. As war dragged on, the Soviet Union
began to realize that it was fighting a war it could not win. On 14 April 1988, pressure from
Pakistan and Afghanistan led to the Soviets withdrawing their army. Zia became a hero for
them. There was humane treatment in Pakistan of Afghan refugees following outbreak of
Afghan-Russian War. Later during Nawaz Sharif's rule, he tried to bring the fighting to an
end by calling leader for talks. On
24 April 1992, nine organisations of Mujahideen signed on an agreement in Peshawar.
Later, the Islamabad Accord was signed by six separate factions in March 1993, but the
lack of a strong central organization in the country made it almost impossible to restore
law and order, so violence continued.

Unsuccessful:
The Afghan government has been hostile and unfriendly from the very beginning under
the influence of Russia and India. Afghanistan had territorial claims to part of the North
West Frontier Province (NWFP) following establishment of Pakistan in 1947. The Afghans
argued that the Pakhtoons living in Pakistan wanted to join with Afghanistan to form
Pakhtoonistan. The Afghan government remained hostile to Pakistan and was the only
state to vote against Pakistan joining the United Nations in a vote taken on 30**
September 1947. Afghanistan is a landlocked and needed a transit route for its goods. In
late 1947, Pakistan offered the Afghans a route through Pakistan. In return, it expected
Afghanistan to drop its support for Pakhtoonistan. The Afghan Government refused and,
instead, signed an agreement with the USSR for a transit route through Russia. Relations
hit a low point in March 1955 when Afghans attacked and ransacked the Pakistan embassy
in Kabul. Pakistan closed its border and cut off diplomatic relations for several months in
protest, but still hoped to establish better relations.
Afghanistan did not always adhere to a trade agreement with Pakistan. In May 1961, armed
Afghans were driven back by Pakistani soldiers after they entered the NWEP. Once again
Pakistan's diplomats in Kabul were harassed and diplomatic relations were broken off.
Even the intervention of US President Kennedy failed to restore diplomatic relations.
Eventually, in May 1963, through the efforts of the Shah of Iran, diplomatic relations were
resumed.

Afghanistan also refused to join Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) in 1964.
In 1973, Sardar Daud, who had been the Prime Minister of Afghanistan, was very hostile to
Pakistan, overthrew the monarchy and set himself up as Prime Minister. During the Afghan-
Russian War, planes entered Pakistani airspace and some of the Pakistani frontier areas
were bombed. Pakistan received more than three million Afghan refugees. It created a
great burden on Pakistan's economy. There were problems relating to drugs, armed
robberies, bomb blasts, kidnapping and gun battles between rival gangs in border region
and inside Pakistan. The lawlessness spread into Pakistan and became known as
'Kalashnikov Culture'. When the Afghan-Russia War ended in 1988, the American aid to
Pakistan was stopped. During 1990's, Benazir decided that Pakistan's best interest lay in
supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan like other governments. Her government provided
military and financial support for the Taliban and even sent a small army unit to help them.
Partly, as a result of this support, the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. There was an
increase in Islamic militancy following support given to the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Pakistan accepted Taliban government on 24 May 1997. Benazir later admitted that her
policy had been a mistake and had led to Islamic militancy which threatened the stability
in Pakistan. This increased the terrorist problem.

However, in relations with Afghanistan, Pakistan is partly successful between 1947 and
1999.