Pakistan calls for a holistic approach to combat cross-border organized crime

Pakistan has called for a holistic approach to combat transnational organized crime, tackling root causes, promoting social inclusion and ensuring equal access to justice for all.

This was stated by Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon, while addressing the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural issues.

He said transnational organized crime continues to hamper the rule of law, economic development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Speaking in a debate on crime prevention and criminal justice and countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes, he said climate change, with its devastating consequences, offers new opportunities for organized criminal groups to infiltrate vulnerable situations. He said other forms of transnational organized crime, particularly money laundering, cybercrime, corruption, human smuggling and trafficking, continue to pose enormous challenges.

Ambassador Iqbal Jadoon also highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, including by setting up an independent Financial Monitoring Unit to work with other countries to eliminate the threat.

He drew attention to a wave of hate crimes, including those fueled by Islamophobia, and other acts of provocation that incite intolerance and violence based on race, ethnicity, religion or belief. He stressed the need to promote mutual respect for religious and cultural beliefs. promote understanding and coexistence.

The Ambassador further said that the exponential spread of disinformation through online platforms and social media has exacerbated social discord, competing nationalisms, discrimination, hate speech, stigmatization, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and related intolerance.

He said Pakistan looks forward to contributing constructively to the upcoming negotiations on the draft Additional Protocol to the Convention.

On the global drug problem, the Pakistani envoy said it continues to take a heavy toll on the health, security, socio-economic development and well-being of individuals, families and society as a whole. He said that in addition to the ongoing challenges, emerging challenges, including for example the proliferation of new psychoactive substances and the increasing use of the darknet for illicit drug purposes, are also a matter of serious concern.

Ambassador Iqbal Jadoon said the Government of Pakistan remains committed to eradicating the scourge of drug abuse, organized crime and the use of ICT for criminal purposes through concerted global efforts.