[Current Affairs] September 28,2020 Top Pakistan Current Affairs for FPSC Test Preparation

What’s going on? The annual UNGA is being held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During a pre-recorded speech for the UNGA, PM Khan went on a criticism spree against India’s Hindu-nationalist govt. He also talked about the Kashmir dispute, the mistreatment of Muslims around the world, Pakistan’s COVID-19 response, COVID-19’s impact on the global economy, and climate change.

The details:

• India: PM Khan straight up called India a state-sponsor of hatred and prejudice against Islam. He claimed that Islamophobia threatens the nearly 200 million Muslims living in India.

• Kashmir dispute: Long story short, PM Khan said the Kashmir dispute needs to be resolved so there can be peace in the South Asian region (i.e. India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full, but only control parts of it).

• Attacks against Muslims: While condemning the mistreatment of Muslims worldwide, PM Khan brought up events like Quran burnings or offensive depictions of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). However, he didn’t mention China’s alleged human rights abuses against its Muslim minority Uighur population. Chinese govt entities have been accused of detaining around 1 million Uighur residents in extrajudicial internment camps. China claims the “re-education camps” are a security and economic development initiative.

• COVID-19: PM Khan praised his govt’s COVID-19 lockdown measures, which were more selective and limited instead of wide-scale. According to PM Khan, a sweeping lockdown would have caused more people to die of hunger.

• The economy: PM Khan believes lockdowns in wealthier countries triggered a global recession, which is now economically hurting poorer countries. He called on developed and rich countries to give debt relief to poorer countries during the pandemic.

• Climate change: PM Khan said climate change is a threat to Pakistan, while claiming that Pakistan’s contribution to carbon emissions is “minimal.” He said Pakistan will plant 10 billion trees to tackle climate change.

The bottom line: It’s common for Pakistan and India to exchange verbal jabs during UNGA meetings. As for comments about Muslims and Islamophobia, PM Khan likely steered away from the Uighur controversy since Pakistan has strong economic ties with China. One example of this economic relationship is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), also known as China’s $62 billion infrastructure investment in Pakistan.