'Selective Application' of the United Nations Charter threatens international system, Pakistan tells UNSC

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th May, 2026) Describing the United Nations Charter as "the moral foundation of the international order", Pakistan told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that crisis in the global system stems from its "selective application", and called for recommitment to the founding document's principles.

"When occupation is condemned in one region but tolerated and even supported in another, justice is diminished," Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Foreign Minister and Foreign Minister, said in a debate on 'upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.'

"When Security Council resolutions are invoked selectively, the credibility of this Council is eroded," he said, adding, " When powerful States act outside the law, smaller States are left to wonder whether the Charter protects all nations equally."

The meeting was chaired by Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China, which holds the presidency of the 15-member Council for the month of May.

The Charter principles are "sacrosanct, providing the foundation for Pakistan's policies and the guiding framework for its contribution to international peace and security, " DPM Dar said.

Pakistan’s commitment to the United Nations is long-standing and principled, he said, and Islamabad is among the leading contributors to UN peacekeeping, championing de-colonization, self-determination and conflict prevention.

That conviction guides Pakistan’s approach to the middle East present crisis, he said, pointing out that as a friendly neighbour of Iran and brotherly countries of the Gulf, and a country with longstanding ties of amity with the United States, Pakistan consistently stood for restraint, de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.

"We have exerted our sincere efforts in facilitating a durable solution that results in lasting peace and stability in the region, and keeps maritime routes open for all. We are continuing this noble endeavour with resolve and dedication," DPM Dar said. He thanked the parties for the confidence reposed in Pakistan, saying the "entire world is watching – we must succeed in the interest of regional and global peace and security."

Pakistan, he said, is a staunch advocate of pacific dispute settlement, drawing attention to resolution 2788 (2025), adopted under Pakistan's Council presidency.

“Diplomacy is not weakness,” he insisted, and “peaceful settlement is not an option of last resort."

Rather, it is the "first duty" of States under the Charter for promoting peace and security.

In that context, he pointed to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which has remained unresolved for eight decades, despite multiple Council resolutions promising the Kashmiri people their self-determination. Durable peace in South Asia cannot be built on denial, unilateralism or repression. "Nor can it coexist with attempts to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance – a vital framework for water cooperation and regional stability.

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"Water must never be weaponized," DPM Dar warned.

Turning to the Middle East, he said the momentum generated by the New York Conference on Two-State solution and the Gaza Peace Plan presented by President Donald Trump endorsed by Security Council resolution 2803 must be sustained till its logical conclusion.

"Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to an independent, viable and contiguous State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital."

DPM Dar said multilateralism cannot mean the management of global affairs by a few-- It must mean the participation, voice and dignity of all.

In this regard, he said Pakistan supports comprehensive reform of the Security Council to make it more representative, democratic, transparent, accountable and effective.

"Reform must not enlarge privilege or create new permanent seats of power; A reformed Council must reflect the collective interests of the wider membership, particularly developing countries."

"An equitable reform based on increase in number of elected non-permanent seats allocated to regions together with improved working methods is the only feasible way forward," he added.

The United Nations remains indispensable – in need of reform, undoubtedly; but indispensable," DPM Dar said.

"In a fractured world, the Charter remains our common language. In an age of confrontation, it remains our common shield. In moments of crisis, it remains our common path back to peace," he said in conclusion.

At the outset, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “The United Nations Charter is a survival guide for humanity.”

Born from the devastation of two world wars, it stands as a commitment that the force of law must prevail over the law of force; that international disputes must be settled by peaceful means; and that all States – large and small – must act in conformity with international law, he said.

For decades, the Charter has helped prevent a third world war.

Today, however, “we are witnessing a dangerous erosion of respect for international law,” the UN chief said.

Geopolitical divisions are deepening, and “too often, this Council fails to act with unity and purpose”.

Conflicts are proliferating and intensifying, while an accelerating arms race is taking hold, he said.

Moreover, human rights are under full-scale attack, he warned, and “when human rights fall, everything else tumbles”.

The Sustainable Development Goals are slipping further out of reach, and the climate crisis is accelerating.

"These challenges are interconnected, and they are testing the resilience of the Charter itself," the UN chief stressed.

APP/ift