Special Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS: Highlighting the central role of the UN General Assembly in addressing the root causes of conflict and promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes, Pakistan has reiterated its proposal to establish a dedicated mechanism to monitor the implementation of General Assembly resolutions.
Delivering a national statement at the UN General Assembly (GA) meeting on implementation of the resolutions of the UN and revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, called for implementation of the UN resolutions in letter and spirit for the United Nations to remain credible.
He said that these resolutions carry not only moral authority but also legal and political weight, reflecting the collective will of the international community.
Ambassador Asim said that revitalizing the General Assembly is a political effort to restore balance, equity, and democratic participation. He said that Pakistan supports making the Assembly more efficient by refining agendas, streamlining resolutions, improving reports, and ensuring action-oriented results.
He said that the Assembly’s real limitations stem not from procedure but from some Member States’ reluctance to let it fully exercise its Charter-mandated authority.
While calling for a strengthened relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council, Ambassador Asim said that the Council must report to the Assembly more frequently and substantively, especially when acting under Chapter VII of the Charter.
He said, “The General Assembly’s role in maintaining international peace and security is broad, and complementary, to that of the Security Council. When the Council is unable or unwilling to act, the Assembly is fully empowered to assume its responsibilities under the Charter.”
He welcomed the continued implementation of resolution 76/262, which provides for convening the Assembly within ten days following the use of a veto in the Council, stating that such mechanisms are vital to promoting transparency, accountability, and the democratization of the United Nations system.
The Pakistan UN Ambassador said that the General Assembly is the most inclusive forum for developing international law and global norms. He argued that norm-setting must stay within this universal and participatory framework, stating that streamlining work is fine, but must not favor one UN pillar over others; as peace and security, development, and human rights are interdependent.
He said that coherence is needed between the UN80 Initiative and the GA revitalization process. He said that transparency in GA–Security Council relations is essential, and the GA President’s Office must have predictable, adequate resources in this regard. He further stated that appointments of the Secretary-General and executive heads should follow the principles of transparency, inclusivity, gender parity, and fair regional representation.
The Ambassador said that the GA must lead global discussions on emerging issues like digital governance, AI, outer space, and global commons. He ended the statement by saying that a revitalized General Assembly is central to a stronger, Charter-aligned United Nations.
