IN a significant diplomatic event, Pakistan, on Thursday, was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) affording it an opportunity to play its role in the resolution of acute regional and global challenges from the platform of the world body. Pakistan secured 182 votes in the 193-member General Assembly — far more than the required 124 votes representing the two-third majority. Pakistan will replace Japan, which currently occupies the Asian seat, on January 1, 2025, to begin a two-year term, its eighth.
Speaking about Pakistan’s priorities and goals as a member of the 15-member Council, Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, rightly pointed out that the country’s election “represents the confidence of the international community in Pakistan’s ability to promote the purposes and principles of the UN Charter”. In this regard, he especially highlighted Pakistan’s ambition to contribute meaningfully to the prevention of conflicts and their peaceful settlement in line with the UN Charter. Pakistan has actively been lobbying for reforms in the UN system to make it responsive to the present-day world and its membership of the Security Council will give it another opportunity to pursue this agenda. Luckily, in Munir Akram, the country has a highly professional and diligent envoy to the UN to do justice with the new responsibilities that Pakistan would be assuming from the new year. Pakistan is joining the UNSC at a time when different hot spots, especially the Middle-East, Jammu and Kashmir, Ukraine and Afghanistan are threatening regional and world peace and security. There are also serious issues of terrorism, Islamophobia and the plight of minorities in some countries including India, requiring focused attention of the Security Council which is charged with the responsibility of maintenance of international peace and security. As a non-permanent member of the Security Council in the past, Pakistan had made significant contributions to its work aimed at strengthening international peace and security. Pakistan has also been the leading contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and it always played a positive and responsible role in promoting global causes like mediation and conflict resolution; counter-terrorism; disarmament and non-proliferation; humanitarian assistance and refugees; climate change; and SDGs. In fact, Pakistan’s role in the United Nations is marked by its unwavering commitment to global peace, security, stability, and development and its fresh election would afford it another opportunity to contribute its share for further promotion of these cherished objectives.
