Hina Rabbani Khar, Delegated Foreign Minister in the government of Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan’s successor, ousted on April 10 by a condemnation motion, answering questions from World while visiting Paris. A member of the Pakistan People’s Party, he intends to speak to the West after years of tension.
As a Muslim woman and a minister from neighboring Iran, how do you react to the ongoing uprising against the regime in Tehran?
We don’t comment on the internal affairs of the state, but we can express ourselves keeping in mind what our conception, as a Muslim nation is, of women’s place in society. I was and was a minister. We have a female prime minister. Parliament is the guardian of women’s rights. This is the fruit of the struggle for democracy which is not always easy.
I am against any form of obligation regarding the Islamic headscarf. A woman should have the choice to wear it or not. A problem that resonates, I believe, in its own way, in France. Everyone’s religion does not take care of state affairs.
Your country has refused to take a position in the war in Ukraine. Does this mean you support Moscow?
No, we believe in multilateralism. There is no good on the one hand and evil on the other. For Ukraine, we consider that the referendum held by Russia on the territory of Ukraine is completely illegal and unacceptable. And we plead for an immediate ceasefire. Nothing can be achieved without peace dialogue. Pakistan, like many countries, is paying dearly for the consequences of this war in Ukraine, economically and socially.
It should also be emphasized that not all countries are equal when it comes to respect for human rights or illegal annexations. South Asia and Europe are not in the same boat. With Kashmir and the border conflict between us and India, we are in the same situation. Since February, many Western leaders have come to us to support Ukraine, but when asked what he will do for Kashmir, they say they have not come to talk about it. However, this raises the universality of values that must be maintained. Today, we can no longer hide behind formulas or impose our laws on others, the world has changed.
According to our information, Pakistani shells are used by the Ukrainian army. Isn’t that a form of commitment?
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