Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Monday interacted with a group of twenty students from the Manhattan University during which he highlighted Islamabad’s stance on key regional and international issues, especially Pakistan’s role at the United Nations.
Pakistan’s UN envoy engages with students on key global, regional issues as also organization’s reform
NEW YORK, Mar 31 (APP):Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Monday interacted with a group of twenty students from the Manhattan University during which he highlighted Islamabad’s stance on key regional and international issues, especially Pakistan’s role at the United Nations.
During the interaction, Ambassador Asim highlighted the United Nations’ unique value as the only forum equipped with international legitimacy and trust. He said that despite its challenges, “nothing can replace” the UN as a platform where the wider membership can pursue collective action on issues no country can address alone.
He told the students that the UN remains essential for coordinating global responses to the emerging and long-term challenges, including artificial intelligence, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and impacts of climate change, emphasizing the value of multilateral cooperation in a rapidly changing world.
A wide membership of the UN, he said, considers a collective response was an effective way to tackle today’s challenges.
On UN reform, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said the effort was aimed at making the organization fit for purpose and better equipped to meet current problems.
As regards Security Council’s reform, he said that Pakistan does not support adding more permanent seats on the 15-member Council, asserting that any expansion in the permanent category would not resolve existing imbalances and would, in fact, deepen divisions, thus augmenting the Council’s dysfunction. Pakistan, he said, supports increasing non-permanent membership as advocated by Uniting for Consensus (UfC) Group.
The discussion also covered key global security and development concerns, including maritime security, food security, forced migration, water scarcity, refugee-related challenges, and the importance of cooperation on transboundary water sharing.
Ambassador Asim Ahmad underscored the value of effective multilateralism in managing cross-border issues and highlighted the importance of local knowledge and sustainable approaches in addressing development needs.
He called the upcoming election of the next UN Secretary-General a “pivotal moment”.
Earlier, Saima Saleem, counsellor at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, briefed the students on Pakistan’s activities at the world body, including its participation in peacekeeping operations around the world.
A question-answer session followed.
