Pakistan elected UNSC's non-permanent member

NEW YORK: Pakistan has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) with a massive majority, pledging to make its contribution to meeting the grave challenges being faced by the world.

A state-run news agency reported that after months of hectic campaigning, Pakistan secured 182 votes in the 193-member General Assembly far more than the required 124 votes, representing a two-thirds majority.

Loud applause rang out in the iconic hall of the General Assembly when its president Dennis Francis announced the winners of the five non-permanent seats — Pakistan, Denmark, Greece, Panama and Somalia –to replace
Japan, Ecuador, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland whose terms are ending on December 31.

Pakistan will replace Japan, which currently occupies the Asian seat, on January 1, 2025, to begin a two-year term, its eighth.

Pakistan’s earlier terms on the Council were in 2012-13, 2003-04, 1993-94, 1983-84, 1976-77, 1968-69 and 1952-53.

“We are grateful to all members of the UN General Assembly for their confidence in Pakistan and for electing it as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. We are also grateful to the members of the Asia-Pacific Group for endorsing Pakistan’s candidature for the Council,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

It read that elected for the eighth time as a non-permanent member, Pakistan brings to the UN Security Council a rich experience and a strong legacy of contributions towards the maintenance of international peace and security, manifested by its strict adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as well as its UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding endeavours across many regions of the world.

“In its upcoming term, Pakistan will remain committed to pursuing just and peaceful resolution of outstanding and ongoing disputes; opposing the resort to unilateral and illegal use or threat of use of force; combatting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations; supporting effective UN peacekeeping, peace enforcement and peacebuilding efforts; and contributing effectively towards the resolution of regional and global crises,” the statement read.

It added that Pakistan looks forward to working closely with the other members of the UN Security Council and with the broader UN Membership to uphold the UN Charter and pursue the vision of preventing war and promoting peace; fostering global prosperity and promoting universal respect for human rights.