Special Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS: China and Pakistan co-organised an Arria-Formula meeting of the UN Security Council, which provided an important platform for member states to consider how the Council can ensure the full, effective and non-selective implementation of its resolutions.
The meeting was briefed by UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari; Shamala Kandiah, Executive Director of Security Council Report; and Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.
The briefers emphasised that implementation lies at the heart of the Council’s credibility, authority and effectiveness. They underlined that resolutions must be accompanied by realistic mandates, clear implementation pathways, sustained reporting, adequate resources, political will and follow-up mechanisms capable of translating Council decisions into practical action on the ground.
In his remarks, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Security Council resolutions are not mere expressions of intent but legal obligations under the UN Charter.
He said selective or prolonged non-implementation weakens the Council’s authority, prolongs unresolved disputes and deepens human suffering, including in situations such as Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.
He emphasised that the non-implementation of Security Council resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute meant that a major international dispute remained unresolved, with grave consequences for international peace and security and prolonged human suffering for the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan also proposed practical measures, including an annual review of unimplemented and partially implemented resolutions, clearer implementation pathways, stronger follow-up, and better alignment of the Secretary-General’s good offices, peace operations and regional arrangements with Council decisions.
Council members and other UN Member States that participated in the meeting welcomed the initiative by China and Pakistan and shared concrete perspectives on strengthening the implementation of Security Council resolutions across country-specific and thematic situations.
They emphasised that the Council’s decisions must be realistic, actionable and supported by sustained diplomacy, regular review, timely reporting and adequate resources.
The meeting underscored that implementation is a central test of the Security Council’s credibility and relevance. It reaffirmed that the Council must ensure that its decisions are carried forward with consistency, objectivity and resolve.
By jointly convening this timely discussion, China and Pakistan reaffirmed their shared commitment to multilateralism, the authority of the Security Council, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
