NEW YORK: Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza and consider punitive measures against Israel, including an arms embargo.
The appeal was made by Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, during a day-long debate on the Middle East situation on Thursday.
Ambassador Akram stressed that global consensus is urgently needed to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which enables the Security Council to take enforcement measures to maintain international peace.
He asserted that Israel’s actions are not only destabilizing the Middle East but also pose a broader threat to global peace and order. Akram highlighted the worsening humanitarian crisis, citing the blockade on aid and a “strategy of starvation” that exacerbates suffering. The Ambassador also condemned efforts to shut down the UN Relief and Works Agency, which provides essential support to Palestinians, describing it as part of an ongoing “genocidal campaign.”
Akram further warned that unchecked Israeli aggression against Lebanon, Syria, and Iran could lead to a wider regional conflict, a situation Pakistan has condemned. He attributed Israel’s impunity to unimpeded weapons supplies and called for actions to uphold the UN Charter and international law, urging the removal of Gaza’s humanitarian blockade.
The Ambassador also advocated for a political resolution that ensures Israel’s military withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories, compliance with International Court of Justice (ICJ) orders, and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
