In an emotional address to the United Nations General Assembly, President Asif Ali Zardari demanded a United Nations investigation into the murder of Benazir Bhutto to reassure the people of Pakistan that the international community cares about them and to prove that the UN charter of justice is more than rhetoric.A good deal of the president's long address was devoted to the memory of the fallen leader, whom he credited with enunciating the 'doctrine of reconciliation', which he compared with the Marshall Plan that had rebuilt a war-ravaged Europe. He urged the UN to move forward quickly on the murder investigation so that the people of Pakistan and the world will know once for all who took away 'one of the greatest women in history'.
Zardari said, "The Bhutto doctrine of reconciliation is a roadmap not only to a new Pakistan, but to a new era of peace and co-operation between East and West, between people of all faiths, a roadmap that if followed will avoid a clash of civilisations and clash of religions that is the terrorists' ultimate goal. The Bhutto doctrine is the new century's equivalent of the Marshall Plan that saved Europe after World War II."
Zardari said Pakistan is a victim of terrorism and its people have begun to wonder if they stand alone. Pakistan has lost more soldiers in this war than all the 37 countries that have their forces in Afghanistan. Pakistan, he pledged, will never surrender to terrorism or succumb to it and was now reaching out to the entire civilised world for support. In a reference to the violation of Pakistan's sovereignty, Zardari said, "Violating our nation's sovereignty is not helpful in eliminating the terrorist menace. Indeed this could have the opposite effect." He said, "Attacks within Pakistan that violate our sovereignty actually serve to empower the forces against which we fought together." He said Pakistan would work patiently to persuade leaders in FATA and the Pukhtunkhwa province to accept the writ of government and turn their back on terrorists.
Zardari said Pakistan would work together with Afghanistan and the NATO forces stationed there to ensure the safety of 'our common border'.
In the sole reference to Kashmir, he said, "We will continue the composite dialogue with India so that our outstanding disputes are resolved. Whether it is the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, or co-operation on water resources, India and Pakistan must accommodate each other's concerns and interests, we must respect and work with each other to peacefully resolve our problems and build South Asia into a common market of trade and technology."