Pakistan wins temporary UN council seat
Pakistan wins seat by securing exact two-thirds majority along with Morocco and Guatemala.
WASHINGTON:
Winning the bare minimum required to win the hotly contested elections, Pakistan has won a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term.
Securing 129 out of 193 votes in the United Nations General Assembly – exactly the two-thirds majority required to win the seat, Pakistan will now be a non-permanent member, replacing Lebanon, of the United Nations Security Council in a term that begins on January 2012 and will end in December 2013.
(Read: Pakistan ‘favourite’ in faceoff over Security Council vote)
The seat is on the Asia-Pacific and Africa group, where Pakistan will join India amongst other countries as non-permanent members. Morocco was also elected as a member of the non-permanent seats in the UNSC. Pakistan’s sole competitor for the Asia-Pacific seat Kyrgyzstan managed to garner 55 votes.
According to reports, Pakistan had secured support from India, China and the UAE amongst other countries to help it win the election.
Pakistan’s earlier terms on the Council were in 2003-04, 1993-94, 1983-84, 1976-77, 1968-69 and 1952-53.
The Pakistan delegation, led by Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon, appeared to be conf ident of victory. “We have worked very, very hard over the past months,” Ambassador Haroon said.
According to a press release, Haroon said Pakistan’s election to the Security Council is the acknowledgement by the international community of its services and its capabilities to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security which is the main function of the Security Council.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar thanked the international community for reposing trust in Pakistan. “Pakistan will play its constructive role in the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security,” a press release quoted the minister as saying.
Mian Jahangir, the press officer for Pakistan’s mission to the UN, said that the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister had also congratulated Ambassador Haroon on Pakistan’s victory at the UN Security Council.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has congratulated the nation on this victory. Pakistan will assume its seat on the Security Council from January 1, 2012.
She also congratulated the Foreign Office and Pakistan’s Permanent Mission in New York for their hard work in projecting Pakistan’s constructive role in the world.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AGENCIES)
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2011.
Winning the bare minimum required to win the hotly contested elections, Pakistan has won a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term.
Securing 129 out of 193 votes in the United Nations General Assembly – exactly the two-thirds majority required to win the seat, Pakistan will now be a non-permanent member, replacing Lebanon, of the United Nations Security Council in a term that begins on January 2012 and will end in December 2013.
(Read: Pakistan ‘favourite’ in faceoff over Security Council vote)
The seat is on the Asia-Pacific and Africa group, where Pakistan will join India amongst other countries as non-permanent members. Morocco was also elected as a member of the non-permanent seats in the UNSC. Pakistan’s sole competitor for the Asia-Pacific seat Kyrgyzstan managed to garner 55 votes.
According to reports, Pakistan had secured support from India, China and the UAE amongst other countries to help it win the election.
Pakistan’s earlier terms on the Council were in 2003-04, 1993-94, 1983-84, 1976-77, 1968-69 and 1952-53.
The Pakistan delegation, led by Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon, appeared to be conf ident of victory. “We have worked very, very hard over the past months,” Ambassador Haroon said.
According to a press release, Haroon said Pakistan’s election to the Security Council is the acknowledgement by the international community of its services and its capabilities to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security which is the main function of the Security Council.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar thanked the international community for reposing trust in Pakistan. “Pakistan will play its constructive role in the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security,” a press release quoted the minister as saying.
Mian Jahangir, the press officer for Pakistan’s mission to the UN, said that the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister had also congratulated Ambassador Haroon on Pakistan’s victory at the UN Security Council.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has congratulated the nation on this victory. Pakistan will assume its seat on the Security Council from January 1, 2012.
She also congratulated the Foreign Office and Pakistan’s Permanent Mission in New York for their hard work in projecting Pakistan’s constructive role in the world.
(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AGENCIES)
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2011.