Pakistan has commenced a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), stepping into, what its media outlet described, a complex global landscape.
This development marks a pivotal milestone for Pakistan — the nation has replaced Japan with a seat at the world’s topmost diplomatic body — to discuss critical issues.
Holding one of the two Asia-Pacific seats on the UNSC accentuates Pakistan’s strategic significance in the discourse on critical global issues, ranging from regional security to international humanitarian matters.
Pakistan will chair the council in July. During this tenure, Pakistan will also join the Islamic State and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee, which is responsible for identifying individuals and entities associated with terrorist organisations and implementing necessary sanctions against them. This move aligns with Pakistan’s commitment to counter terrorism on an international scale.
The situation is further complicated by the ongoing discussions regarding the reform of the UNSC, especially the aspirations of India, which aspires to become a permanent member endowed with the power of veto.
It’s a given that Islamabad would probably exert every effort to impede the procedure and delay New Delhi’s bid for a legitimate membership on the council. The complexity of these negotiations is compounded by India’s growing stature as one of the fastest-growing economies, making its inclusion in a reformed UNSC a topic of significant interest.
The most expected of Pakistan’s plans is to intensify its stance on Kashmir. Islamabad’s ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, already alluded to this in his comments following Pakistan’s election to the UN Security Council membership. Pakistan’s UN Ambassador said “we will continue to highlight” the Kashmir problem “and push for concrete steps” from the international community.
The rhetoric between the neighbours is notable and only expected. While India has positioned itself as the “Voice of the Global South,” Islamabad has declared that Pakistan, one of the five non-permanent members of the Security Council from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, will strive to become the “Voice of the Muslim World.”
The change also comes at a significant moment, given the geopolitical shifts. Central and West Asia are beset by political and humanitarian issues, including the war in Gaza, the escalating crisis in Lebanon, the rising tensions between Israel and Iran, the regime change in Syria, and the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Meanwhile, the long-drawn-out conflict between Russia and Ukraine has already strained Europe economically. While South Korea is adversely impacted by one of its biggest political crises — Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidency reached a breaking point with his controversial declaration of martial law — China’s threat to Taiwan and North Korea’s military ascent are major worries in East Asia. Additionally, China has significant disagreements with Vietnam and the Philippines that result in naval confrontations.
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