Amid record high killing of humanitarian personnel in conflict zones around the world, Pakistan has called on the UN Security Council to push for sanctions and legal action against violators.
"impunity must end," Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the 15-member council during a debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.
"Impunity is not merely a failure of justice - it is a license for repetition, he said, adding, "Timely, independent and impartial investigations must hold perpetrators accountable."
In this regard, the Pakistani envoy urged the creation of a "global implementation dashboard" for that resolution - it should provide real-time public tracking of violations, investigations and their outcomes "for everyone to see and follow".
The escalating attacks on humanitarian personnel are not just isolated incidents - "they reflect a growing disregard for international norms," Ambassador Asim said, adding that it is unacceptable that those who work to provide "dignity amidst displacement" are met "not with gratitude, but with gunfire".
According to the Aid Worker Security Database, 379 humanitarian personnel were killed in 2024.
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