UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for respect of nations&#39; political independence following a US military operation in Venezuela that Washington defended as a police action against Caracas&#39;s &quot;fugitive&quot; leader.&nbsp;US forces&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/explosions-heard-in-venezuelas-capital-afp-journalist" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">seized Nicolas Maduro and his wife</a>&nbsp;over the weekend, ending 12 years of increasingly authoritarian rule by the left-wing leader, whom Washington accused of running a cartel and targeted with a $50 million bounty.&nbsp;Guterres urges &quot;respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states,&quot; according to remarks read on his behalf by Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo during an emergency UN Security Council meeting on the crisis.&nbsp;&quot;I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification (of) instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted,&quot; the UN chief&#39;s remarks said.&nbsp;Colombia &mdash; a new member of the Security Council that formally requested the meeting, and whose leader, Gustavo Petro, has clashed with Donald Trump &mdash; also expressed concerns about US intentions.&nbsp;The UN Charter permits &quot;the use of force only under exceptional circumstances &mdash; in legitimate defense, in the face of an armed attack or when there is an express authorization by this Council,&quot; said Colombian ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres.&nbsp;Even then, &quot;this does not amount to assuming political control of another state,&quot; she added.&nbsp;&#39;Era of lawlessness&#39;US Ambassador Mike Waltz defended what he described as a &quot;surgical law enforcement operation facilitated by the US military against two indicted fugitives of American justice, narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores,&quot; his wife.&nbsp;&quot;As Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio has said, there is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country,&quot; Waltz said.&nbsp;He added, nonetheless, that &quot;you cannot continue to have the largest energy reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the United States.&quot;&nbsp;US ally Britain called during the meeting for a &quot;safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government,&quot; with its acting UN representative, James Kariuki, saying Venezuelans &quot;deserve a government which reflects their vote at the ballot box.&quot;&nbsp;Some Security Council members criticized Washington&#39;s actions, including Venezuelan allies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-calls-on-us-to-immediately-release-venezuelas-maduro" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Russia and China</a>, which demanded Maduro&#39;s release.&nbsp;Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia slammed the US operation that seized Maduro as a &quot;harbinger of a turn back to the era of lawlessness and US domination by force.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We hope that you will abandon double standards and that you will not attempt to justify such an egregious act of aggression,&quot; Nebenzia said.&nbsp;Venezuela&#39;s representative, Samuel Moncada, requested the Security Council&#39;s support in demanding that the United States &quot;fully respect the immunities of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.&quot;&nbsp;Maduro and his wife both appeared at a New York court on Monday, entering pleas of not guilty.

Americas

Some Security Council members, including Venezuelan allies Russia and China, demand Maduro's release.

UN chief urges 'respect' for sovereignty at Venezuela emergency meeting

ISLAMABAD: A United Nations Security Council report released this month has dismissed the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s claim that militant groups are not using Afghan territory for cross-border violence, calling the assertion &ldquo;not credible&rdquo; and warning that neighboring countries increasingly see Afghanistan as a source of regional insecurity due to ongoing operations by several armed groups based there.&nbsp;The findings are included in the 16th report of the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, submitted to the United Nations Security Council under resolution 2763.&nbsp;The report stated that the Afghan Taliban, who are the de facto rulers in Afghanistan, &ldquo;continue to maintain that no terrorist groups operate in, or from, its territory,&rdquo; but added that such claims &ldquo;are not credible.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Taliban promised under the 2020 Doha Agreement to prevent Afghan soil from being used to threaten other countries. While the report noted ongoing Taliban action against Islamic State Khorasan, it said their attitude toward other militant groups has been significantly different.&nbsp;According to the monitoring team, &ldquo;a wide range of Member States consistently report that ISIL-K, Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaida (QDe.004), the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (QDe.088), also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party (ETIM/TIP), Jamaat Ansarullah (not listed), Ittihad-ul Mujahideen Pakistan (not listed), and others are present in Afghanistan. Some groups have used or are continuing to use Afghanistan to plan and execute external attacks. Regional Member States generally see Afghanistan as a source of insecurity.&rdquo;&nbsp;The monitoring team stated that TTP had conducted &ldquo;numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil,&rdquo; leading to cross-border tensions, casualties, and disruptions in bilateral trade.&nbsp;&ldquo;These attacks have led to cross-border military confrontations, causing casualties as well as disruptions to bilateral trade,&rdquo; the report stated.&nbsp;&ldquo;Taliban authorities continue to deny and deflect responsibility for failing to restrain TTP,&rdquo; the report said, noting that opinions within the Taliban range from viewing the group as a liability to maintaining sympathy and historical loyalty.&nbsp;The Monitoring Team reported that attacks by TTP increased throughout 2025, noting that while Pakistani security forces thwarted many, estimates indicate there have already been more than 600 attacks in Pakistan this year. Many incidents were described as &ldquo;complex in nature, involving multiple, coordinated attackers using methods such as vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.&rdquo;&nbsp;The report estimated that &ldquo;TTP maintained a strength of around 6,000 fighters, with locations in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, and Paktiya.&rdquo; It also included &ldquo;more than a dozen subgroups or factions,&rdquo; with the group&rsquo;s leadership maintaining a presence in Kabul.&nbsp;These attacks, the report said, have led to cross-border military clashes and disruptions to bilateral trade, increasing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.&nbsp;Despite the broader militant presence in the region, the report acknowledged counterterrorism progress by Pakistan, including several high-profile arrests linked to Islamic State Khorasan, which it said has helped weaken the group&rsquo;s operational&nbsp;ability.

Screengrab from a video showing Afghan Taliban fighters patrolling the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Spin Boldak following fresh clashes between the two countries on October 15, 2025. (AFP)

Middle East

A United Nations Security Council report released this month has rejected the Afghan Taliban’s claim that militant groups are not using Afghan territory for cross-border violence, calling the assertion 'not credible' and warning that neighboring states increasingly view Afghanistan as a source of regional insecurity due to continued operations by several armed groups based there.

UNSC report questions Taliban claims of denying militant safe havens

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s UN envoy stressed that meaningful Security Council reform requires abolishing or strictly curbing the veto, rather than adding new permanent members, because expanding veto power would only deepen the Council&rsquo;s paralysis. A post on X by Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the UN, shared the statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN during the Debate in the General Assembly on the &ldquo;Right to Veto&rdquo; on Thursday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991662255163789421&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9a25cdff83b41524da909d6c6eeee6cc5642d53c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 768px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1991662255163789421">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Ambassador Ahmad said, &ldquo;the Security Council, which has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, has often been paralyzed or incapacitated, due to pursuit of narrow interests, and the strategic rivalries between its permanent members that lead to the misuse or abuse of the veto.&rdquo; &lsquo;Cascading effect&rsquo;&ldquo;It thus prevents the Council from discharging its duties. And then we also are aware of the &ldquo;cascading effect&rdquo; of the veto that gives the permanent members unmatched influence and profile throughout the UN system,&rdquo; he added. Pakistan&rsquo;s representative said: &ldquo;It comes as no surprise therefore, and past and recent experiences have confirmed that the abolition, or restraint on the use of veto, will have to be an integral part of the reform of the Security Council.&rdquo; &lsquo;Expanded Security Council&rsquo;&nbsp;Ambassador Ahmad said that &ldquo;the existing permanent members, and by the way &ndash; they are pretty much united on that &ndash; they are opposed to any change in the UN Charter that would chip away on their power or privilege as permanent members.&rdquo; &ldquo;And it is for this reason also that Pakistan, together with the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group, remains opposed as a matter of principle, to the addition of any new individual permanent members on an expanded Security Council,&rdquo; he added. The Pakistani envoy said, &ldquo;More permanent members and more vetoes will only aggravate the problem, and multiply the likelihood of paralysis or inaction by the Security Council.&rdquo; &lsquo;Problem cannot be the solution&rsquo;&ldquo;Let us be clear. The problem cannot be the solution.&rdquo; Ambassador Ahmad said that &ldquo;various proposals have been advanced over the years concerning the veto - ranging from its abolition, to restricting or limiting its use.&rdquo; &ldquo;The alternative is status quo,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;We believe that the veto right of the existing permanent members should be abolished or at least severely restricted and that the right of veto certainly must not be expanded.&rdquo; He said Pakistan believes that this can be better balanced by, on the one hand, placing restrictions on the use of the veto and, on the other, by enhancing the number and role of the elected members of the Council through larger representation on the Council and thereby changing the threshold for approval of decisions by the Council - to make it more democratic and to serve as an effective check on the use of veto by the permanent members. &ldquo;So currently we have 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members, a ratio of 1:2 &ndash; you increase the elected members to 20, for a ratio of 1:4. That will significantly change the balance of power in the Council in a democratic way &ndash; putting the power to approve or block in the hands of the majority,&rdquo; he said. The ambassador said, &ldquo;What we want is Reform for All &ndash; Privilege for None.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

​Ambassador Ahmad said, 'the Security Council... has often been paralyzed or incapacitated, due to pursuit of narrow interests, and the strategic rivalries between its permanent members that lead to the misuse or abuse of the veto.”

Pakistan warns against expanding UNSC’s permanent membership  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that years of fighting in Ukraine have proven there is no military solution, urging all sides to pursue restraint, ceasefire, and a renewed commitment to dialogue and diplomacy. &ldquo;Pakistan has stated that the continued fighting in Ukraine over the years has made it amply clear to all the stakeholders that there is no military solution to the conflict,&rdquo; said a press release shared by Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the UN on its X account on Friday. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991644595986526420&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=dd0b837670ac8363ea19a5b5da4113d92dc99ca5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Pakistan again reiterated its call for all parties to demonstrate restraint, take meaningful strides towards de-escalation, and work earnestly towards a ceasefire through a sustained and meaningful dialogue process,&rdquo; it said. &quot;Delivering the national statement in the UNSC on the situation in Ukraine, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN, regretted that the diplomatic momentum generated at the start of the year by the adoption of UNSCR 2774 &ndash; which perhaps could have been more effective if it were endorsed unanimously, has yet to bear fruit,&rdquo; the press release said. &lsquo;Push for peace&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;We welcome the renewed push for peace, including mediation efforts by T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar. A solution that is acceptable to all relevant parties can silence the guns and ensure lasting peace,&rdquo; he said. He said that given the complex historical context and the intricate nature of the Ukraine conflict, Pakistan believes that the path forward should be guided by wisdom and dialogue rather than continued hostilities and confrontation. Ambassador Iftikhar urged all parties to demonstrate political will, engage in a meaningful, structured, and result-oriented dialogue that addresses the security concerns of all sides; most importantly, it is anchored in the principles of the UN Charter and international law; and respects the relevant multilateral agreements, the press release said. &ldquo;A ceasefire is the first logical and necessary step in this process,&rdquo; he maintained. &lsquo;Dialogue and diplomacy&rsquo;&nbsp;He said that Pakistan is a firm believer in the power of dialogue and diplomacy and will continue to support all endeavors aimed at resolving the issue peacefully and in a just, comprehensive, and durable manner. He said that Pakistan is deeply perturbed by the expansion of hostilities, targeting of civilians and civil infrastructure, and the exponentially mounting humanitarian toll. &ldquo;Protection of civilian lives and infrastructure should remain paramount. We reiterate the call for upholding the principles of International humanitarian law,&rdquo; he added.

Pakistan reiterates ‘call for all parties to demonstrate restraint, take meaningful strides towards de-escalation, and work earnestly towards a ceasefire’; welcomes the ‘renewed push for peace, including mediation efforts by Türkiye and Qatar.’

Dialogue, diplomacy can help end Russia-Ukraine war: Pakistan tells UNSC

UNITED NATIONS: The head of the United Nations Security Council&rsquo;s 1267 al-Qaida sanctions committee on Wednesday warned of the &ldquo;serious threat&rdquo; posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying the terrorist group has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, &ldquo;some of which incurred mass casualties.&rdquo; According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi of Denmark, briefing the 15-member Security Council in her capacity as chair of the committee, said that &quot;TTP, with its approximately 6,000 fighters, is another serious threat emanating from the region, receiving both logistical and substantial support from the de facto [Taliban] authorities.&rdquo; Her remarks came as the Council reviewed updates from the heads of three subsidiary bodies overseeing sanctions against Daesh and al-Qaida, United Nations counterterrorism efforts, and measures aimed at curbing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors. &#39;Al-Qaida decimated largely due to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts&#39;Responding to the briefing, Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, said Pakistan &ldquo;has rendered invaluable sacrifices in its efforts to eradicate this menace,&rdquo; citing more than 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in economic losses. &ldquo;Al-Qaida was decimated largely due to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts,&rdquo; he said. Jadoon said Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;valiant security forces and law enforcement agencies continue to counter the terrorism threat emanating from Afghanistan, where entities like ISIL-K, TTP and its affiliates, BLA and its Majeed Brigade are thriving under the patronage of their hosts and backed by our principal adversary and net destabilizer in the region,&rdquo; APP said. He stressed that the 1267 Committee&rsquo;s sanctions framework must &ldquo;reflect ground realities,&rdquo; adding that listing and delisting decisions should be taken &ldquo;in a fair, transparent and judicious manner and without political considerations.&rdquo; Calling for a comprehensive approach, the Pakistani diplomat said the United Nations counterterrorism system &ldquo;must also possess the necessary tools to designate violent, far-right, extreme right-wing, ultranationalist, xenophobic and Islamophobic groups around the world,&rdquo; APP reported.&nbsp; China&rsquo;s representative echoed Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns, urging committee members to support the listing of the Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade. Doing so, he said, would &ldquo;send a strong signal of zero tolerance for terrorism.&rdquo; Council members noted that the threat of terrorism continues to evolve across regions, with armed groups increasingly exploiting modern technologies to expand operational reach and evade monitoring.

A wide view of the Security Council meeting that heard briefings by Chairs of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

Security

The head of the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaida sanctions committee warned of the 'serious threat' posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, saying the terrorist group has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, 'which incurred mass casualties.'

UNSC panel flags 'high-profile’ Afghan Taliban-backed TTP attacks on Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has renewed its call for international action against the proliferation of illicit arms in Afghanistan, warning that terrorist groups are exploiting abandoned modern weapons, posing a direct threat not only to Pakistan but to the international community and regional security. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), said the acquisition and use of these &ldquo;modern and potent&rdquo; weapons by groups such as ISIL-K, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Fitna Al-Khawarij, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade has led to the loss of thousands of innocent lives. &ldquo;These terrorist entities, operating with impunity from Afghan soil and supported by external actors, have used these weapons against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies,&rdquo; Ambassador Asim said, calling the situation a &ldquo;serious challenge to peace and security in Pakistan and the broader region.&rdquo; Citing UN reports, he expressed concern over the presence of large stockpiles of advanced arms and ammunition in Afghanistan, emphasizing that the changing nature of warfare, which includes drones, AI-enabled weapons, 3D-printed arms, and night-vision equipment, necessitates a revision of conventional arms control mechanisms. Pakistan also reiterated its commitment to the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons and called for more international collaboration to combat illicit arms proliferation. &ldquo;Despite their name, these weapons are neither &lsquo;small&rsquo; nor &lsquo;light&rsquo; in their impact,&rdquo; the ambassador added, highlighting that small arms remain the second most frequently used weapons in global terrorist attacks after explosives. Pakistan&rsquo;s warning at the Security Council is part of a broader diplomatic campaign ongoing for over a year across multilateral forums. In April 2025, at an Arria-Formula meeting of the UN Security Council on arms management, Counsellor Syed Atif Raza said that &ldquo;terrorist armed groups are in possession of billions worth of illicit arms abandoned in Afghanistan.&rdquo;&nbsp; During the Fourth Review Conference of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms in June 2024, Pakistan called for a &ldquo;concerted international effort to recover weapons from terrorist organizations such as the TTP, BLA, and ISIL-K.&rdquo; These interventions underscore Islamabad&rsquo;s argument that unchecked arms proliferation in Afghanistan is undermining peace efforts in South Asia and enabling cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has also raised concerns bilaterally with the United States, who withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, leaving behind an extensive inventory of weaponry circulating through black markets. On Jan. 29, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: &ldquo;The presence of US advance weapons in Afghanistan, left behind in the aftermath of the withdrawal of its troops in August 2021, has been an issue of profound concern for the safety and security of Pakistan and its citizens.&rdquo; On March 4, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a phone call with US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, discussing the leftover weapons and urging Washington to ensure these arms do not fall into the hands of militants. Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, has also raised the matter in Washington policy circles, emphasizing the need for American assistance to strengthen Pakistan&rsquo;s counter-terrorism capabilities under Operation Azm-i-Istehkam. At the regional level, Pakistan and Afghanistan have held direct discussions on cross-border security. During Deputy Prime Minister Dar&rsquo;s visit to Kabul in April 2025, both sides agreed not to allow their territories to be used for &ldquo;illicit activities,&rdquo; reaffirming cooperation on border management and counterterrorism. The ambassador concluded his remarks by calling for enhanced international cooperation and the full implementation of the UN&rsquo;s framework on small arms. &ldquo;The international community cannot ignore the evolving threats posed by these weapons. Action is needed now to safeguard peace and security across the region,&rdquo; he said.

Pakistan has urged the UN Security Council to act against illicit arms proliferation in Afghanistan, warning that abandoned modern weapons empower terrorist groups like TTP and ISIL-K, posing a direct threat to regional and international security.

Arms left in Afghanistan threat to international community: Pakistan envoy to the UN

Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has strongly rejected India&rsquo;s accusations at the United Nations, saying New Delhi&rsquo;s ruling ideology has transformed the country into what it described as the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s largest factory of hate,&rdquo; fueled by Hindutva extremism and systematic repression in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a right of reply during a UN Security Council debate, Pakistan&rsquo;s Counsellor Gul Qaiser Sarwani called out India&rsquo;s representative for what he termed &ldquo;baseless and diversionary claims,&rdquo; stressing that the situation in Kashmir remains one of &ldquo;custodial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, demographic engineering, and sweeping media blackouts.&rdquo; Sarwani contrasted conditions in Indian-occupied Kashmir with those in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which he said &ldquo;stands as evidence of Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to democratic governance,&rdquo; where citizens elect their leadership and &ldquo;enjoy freedoms unimaginable under Indian occupation.&rdquo; He underlined that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute, stating: &ldquo;Kashmir is not India&rsquo;s internal matter, it never was and never will be. It remains on the UN agenda, and no decree from New Delhi can alter that reality.&rdquo; Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding position on the UN-mandated plebiscite, Sarwani said it is India that has &ldquo;reneged on every commitment,&rdquo; instead deploying nearly 900,000 troops to enforce control over the region, which he described as &ldquo;the densest military occupation of our time.&rdquo; He added that India&rsquo;s allegations against Pakistan aim to deflect attention from the situation in Kashmir. &ldquo;The mask of democracy slips,&rdquo; Sarwani said, &ldquo;when minorities across India face persecution, Muslims lynched in public, Christians attacked in places of worship, Sikhs vilified, and Dalits dehumanized. The tragedies of Gujarat, Delhi and Manipur speak for themselves.&rdquo;

In a UNSC debate, Pakistan rejected India’s accusations, saying New Delhi’s Hindutva-driven policies fueled repression in Indian-occupied Kashmir and undermine democratic values, while reaffirming Kashmir as UN-recognized dispute requiring a plebiscite.

Pakistan rebuts India at UN, says Hindutva policies eroding democratic values

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s representative, while rejecting India&rsquo;s remarks during the United Nations Security Council debate on Women, Peace, and Security, highlighted the plight of women in Indian-Occupied Kashmir. In his statement on Monday, in response to the remarks of an Indian delegate during the Open Debate, Pakistan&rsquo;s First Secretary Sarfraz Ahmad Gohar termed the comments as &ldquo;baseless.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1975345866274742689&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=29ec884f4e99fd027fdfa45f88042cebcf603b2d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 769px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" spellcheck="false" aria-label="To enrich screen reader interactions, please activate Accessibility in Grammarly extension settings">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Gohar said that India&rsquo;s remarks are an attempt to deflect attention from its appalling record in the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir. &lsquo;Disputed territory&rsquo;&ldquo;The fact remains that Jammu and Kashmir is not an integral part of India. It is a disputed territory, as affirmed by Security Council resolutions, which call for a United Nations-supervised plebiscite. India accepted these resolutions and is bound under Article 25 of the UN Charter to implement them,&rdquo; the first secretary stressed. Speaking on the topic of the debate, Gohar said the theme of the discussion, &quot;Women, Peace, and Security,&quot; is painfully relevant to the occupied region of Jammu and Kashmir. For decades, women there have endured the worst forms of violence &mdash; rape, harassment, arbitrary detention, and collective punishment &mdash; at the hands of Indian occupation forces. &ldquo;Their plight deserves this Council&rsquo;s attention,&rdquo; he said. Gohar, in his response, said: &quot;The reference [by the Indian delegate] to 1971 is yet another attempt to distort history -- by a country that distinguishes itself in disinformation and as a serial violator of international law.&quot; &ldquo;India&rsquo;s interference, naked aggression, and military intervention in East Pakistan was a blatant violation of the UN Charter,&rdquo; he added. Credible stepsThe Pakistan representative also highlighted the plight of Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other minorities in India, saying, &ldquo;Hindutva ideology has become state policy.&rdquo; He said that Genocide Watch (a non-governmental organisation based in Canada) warned during a US congressional briefing that there were early &ldquo;signs and processes&rdquo; of genocide in the Indian state of Assam and in Indian-Occupied Kashmir. Gohar demanded that India must take credible steps toward fulfilling the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, protect the minorities living in its country, and stop misleading the UN Security Council.

It condemned India’s actions in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting violence against Kashmiri women and minorities, urging India to comply with UN resolutions and end human rights abuses in the disputed territory.

Pakistan highlights plight of Kashmiri women at UNSC debate   

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met United Nations Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session in New York, on Friday, according to a statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO). &ldquo;The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for Pakistan&rsquo;s constructive engagement as an elected member of the Security Council,&rdquo; a readout published on the UN&rsquo;s website about the meeting stated. The secretary-general and the prime minister exchanged views on developments in the region, as well as reform of the international financial architecture, it added. During their warm and cordial meeting, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s resolute commitment to strengthening multilateralism with the United Nations playing a central role in addressing the most pressing global challenges, the press release from the PMO said. The prime minister appreciated the secretary-general&rsquo;s remarkable leadership in promoting international peace and stability, as well as the UN&rsquo;s role in strengthening global governance with enhanced voice of the developing countries, it added. Additional climate finance&nbsp;Expressing gratitude for the secretary-general&rsquo;s appreciation of the government&rsquo;s rescue and relief efforts during the recent devastating floods in Pakistan, the prime minister underlined the need for concerted international actions, including mobilization of additional climate finance to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the most climate-vulnerable countries like Pakistan. The prime minister emphasized issues of critical national and regional importance to Pakistan, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and externally sponsored terrorism in Pakistan. Kashmir dispute&nbsp;He urged a just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council. The prime minister commended the secretary-general&rsquo;s leadership and sincere efforts for de-escalation of recent tensions between Pakistan and India. Sharing serious concern over the burning issue of Gaza, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s support for efforts for an immediate ceasefire and ending the war, provision of humanitarian assistance, and opening a political horizon for an irreversible path to Palestinian statehood. The prime minister reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to continue playing constructive role as a member of the UN Security Council for regional and international peace and security. Advancing global peace&nbsp;The secretary-general lauded Pakistan&rsquo;s strong voice and critical role at the UN, including principled positions at the Security Council. They agreed on the need for concerted efforts to further enhance and strengthen the indispensable role of the United Nations in advancing global peace and development, the PMO statement concluded.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met UN Secretary-General António Guterres, discussing multilateralism, climate change, Kashmir, Gaza, and regional peace. Both reaffirmed commitment to strengthening the UN’s central role in global peace and development.

UN chief lauds Pakistan’s ‘constructive engagement’ as UNSC member 

ISLAMABAD: The UN Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss Russian incursions over Estonia&rsquo;s airspace, the Estonian foreign office said on Sunday.&nbsp;&ldquo;When such actions are committed by a permanent member of the Security Council, they must be addressed by that very body,&rdquo; Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a post on X. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969726369551487284&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e1cdf18bfdc40aedf10f9fea8ac23ab6f14cf456&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 856px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;He added that Russia&rsquo;s actions &ldquo;undermine principles vital to the security of all UN member states.&rdquo; St&eacute;phane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary general, said the emergency meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. E.T. on Monday.&nbsp;Estonia&rsquo;s request for a UNSC meeting comes after three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered its airspace over the Gulf of Finland without permission on Friday. The jets remained for 12 minutes before being intercepted by NATO, according to the Estonian Foreign Ministry.&nbsp;The Russian Defense Ministry, however, has denied its jets entered Estonian airspace. It insisted that the flights were conducted &ldquo;in strict accordance with international rules.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ukraine has also submitted a request to attend the Security Council meeting and present its position. The request was directed to the Republic of Korea, which holds the rotating presidency of the council.&nbsp;&ldquo;For the first time in 34 years, Estonia has requested an emergency UNSC meeting,&rdquo; Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. &ldquo;This shows the unprecedented scale of threats posed by aggressive Russia to the stability of Europe.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1969761477755064326&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e1cdf18bfdc40aedf10f9fea8ac23ab6f14cf456&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For the first time in 34 years, Estonia has requested an emergency UNSC meeting. This shows the unprecedented scale of threats posed by aggressive Russia to the stability of Europe. Ukraine addressed the ROK&rsquo;s Presidency with a request to attend the meeting and present our&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/C4LK1CxgK5" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">https://t.co/C4LK1CxgK5</a>&mdash; Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrii_sybiha/status/1969761477755064326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">September 21, 2025</a></blockquote></div>&nbsp;Meanwhile, NATO&#39;s North Atlantic Council has also called a meeting for Tuesday to discuss Russia&#39;s violation of&nbsp;Estonian airspace, two officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, specifying the date that so far has only been described as early next week, Reuters reported.&nbsp;Tallinn said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered&nbsp;Estonian airspace without permission on Friday and stayed for a total of 12 minutes before they were forced to withdraw.&nbsp;Estonia requested consultations under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty after the incident that it described as an &quot;unprecedentedly brazen&quot; incursion.&nbsp;Article 4 states that NATO members will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territory, political independence or security of any of them is threatened.&nbsp;Russia&#39;s Defence Ministry denied its jets violated&nbsp;Estonian airspace, saying they flew over neutral waters.&nbsp;With tensions already high because of the war in Ukraine, the incursion came just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on the night of September 9-10. With input from wires. &nbsp;

German Eurofighter, NATO, Russia Ukraine war

Europe

NATO’s North Atlantic Council also calls a meeting for Tuesday to discuss Russia’s violation of Estonian airspace, according to Reuters.

Articles tagged with "UNSC"