Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, underscored Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to UN peacekeeping and called for renewed international action on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.  He was addressing the UN Security Council briefing today on “Adapting Peace Operations for the Pursuit of Political Solutions – Priorities and Challenges.”  Ambassador Asim noted that Pakistan has contributed over 235,000 peacekeepers to 48 missions across four continents, with 182 personnel sacrificing their lives in service to peace.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s position as one of the top troop contributors and a founding member of the UN Peace building Commission.  In his statement, Ambassador Asim emphasized that political solutions must remain at the heart of all UN peace operations. He said that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a test case for the UN’s credibility in upholding international peace and justice.  "The imperative of political solutions is obvious. Nowhere is this more urgently needed than in Jammu and Kashmir — a longstanding dispute on this Council’s agenda.

The Security Council must fulfill its obligations and make concerted efforts to secure a just and lasting solution in accordance with its own resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he said.  Ambassador Asim highlighted that Pakistan hosts one of the oldest UN peace missions — the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) — which monitors the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, reflecting the unresolved nature of this critical international dispute. 

He noted that the current year is pivotal due to comprehensive reviews under the Pact for the Future, Peace building Architecture Review, and the UN80 initiative. These processes, he said, must reinforce the political core of peacekeeping.  He stated that no new peacekeeping missions have been deployed in a decade and called for renewed confidence in the UN’s role in conflict resolution, drawing on the core principles of the 2015 HIPPO Report — Politics, Partnerships, and People. 

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador shared several recommendations to strengthen UN peace operations:  Highlighting the primacy of political solution, he said that peacekeeping must enable — not substitute — political processes. He emphasized that where politics is absent, missions should preserve space for future dialogue.  Talking about clear and realistic mandates, Ambassador Asim asked the Security Council to avoid overburdening missions with so-called "Christmas tree mandates" and ensure that all operations are demand-driven and context-specific. 

Calling for unity and support from within the Security Council, he stated that strong political backing from the Council is essential for successful peacekeeping. He further demanded that the role of Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSGs) must be empowered.  Highlighting the need for people-centered approach, Ambassador Asim said that local peace building must be promoted. He cited the example of Pakistani peacekeepers in Abyei (UNISFA) who successfully engaged communities to foster peace. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)