SUBCONTINENT

Pakistan begins UNSC presidency; pledges transparency

Friday, 04 Jul, 2025
UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan will strengthen and promote multilateralism. (Photo courtesy: X@PakistanPR_UN)

United Nations: Pakistan said that it had assumed the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July with a “sense of purpose, humility and conviction” to promote respect of law and multilateralism. The presidency of the Security Council is part of Pakistan's two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, which began in January 2025.

“Pakistan undertakes this responsibility with a deep sense of purpose, humility and conviction. Our approach will remain anchored in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, respect for international law, and a steadfast commitment to multilateralism,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

“Pakistan's Presidency will be transparent, inclusive and responsive,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) correspondent at the UN, as he prepared to face the challenges ahead.

Ambassador Iftikhar, who will preside over the Council meetings on key global issues in July, said he was fully aware of the complex geopolitical scenario, growing instability and threats to international peace and security, marked by rising conflicts and deepening humanitarian crises.

“We look forward to working with all Council members for collective, timely action by the Council in line with its primary responsibility under the Charter and expectations of broader UN membership,” Iftikhar added.


PM Narendra Modi at the 18th SAARC Summit. (Photo courtesy: Flickr)

China, Pakistan, Bangladesh mull scrapping SAARC

Pakistan and China are working to create a new regional bloc to replace SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), in which India was a prominent member. The talks on the regional bloc between Islamabad and Beijing are at an advanced level, according to an Express Tribune report.

Bangladesh too was part of the recent meeting to create the new regional bloc that was held in China's Kunming on June 19, according to the report.

"The ultimate goal of the meeting in Kunming on June 19 was to invite other South Asian countries, which were part of SAARC, to join the new grouping," Karachi-based The Express Tribune reported.