Pakistan Calls for Strengthening International Law and UN Security Council Reform

Pakistan has intensified its call at the United Nations for reinforcing international law and reforming the Security Council, warning that selective adherence to treaties and the rise of parallel diplomatic initiatives could weaken the UN amid unprecedented global conflicts. Speaking at the International Law Year in Review 2026 Conference on Thursday, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, highlighted that erosion of treaty obligations and inconsistent application of international law threaten the collective security framework established after World War II. He emphasised that there should be no room for selective compliance or legal exceptionalism and stressed that the principles of the UN Charter must be applied “more consistently, more courageously and more faithfully” to uphold the rules-based international order.

Ambassador Asim also linked the issue of international law to the functioning of the Security Council, noting that divisions among major powers have increasingly hindered its effectiveness. He cited Pakistan’s presidency of the Council in July last year and the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2788 as an example of what consensus can achieve, underlining that peaceful dispute resolution remains possible despite geopolitical rivalries.