Mr. Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident Coordinator, 
Chairman Senate, Senator Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani,
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Syed Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah, 
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour to join you today to commemorate United Nations Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter, a landmark in our shared quest for peace, justice, and human progress.

I would like to thank the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Mohamed Yahya, for organizing this event and for his continued leadership of the UN Country Team in Pakistan.

Excellencies,

This year’s commemoration comes at a time of profound challenge for the international community. We are witnessing growing instability, widening inequality, and an erosion of trust, both between nations and in the very institutions created to safeguard global peace and prosperity.

Conflicts old and new continue to fester. Longstanding disputes, from Jammu & Kashmir to Palestine, remind us that the promise of self-determination and justice remains unfulfilled for millions.

The worsening impacts of climate change are crossing borders and generations alike. And despite the Charter’s vision of “better standards of life for all,” structural flaws in the global financial and trading systems continue to impede sustainable development, perpetuating inequality and debt distress across the Global South.

At the same time, the spirit of multilateralism, which has guided the world since 1945, faces increasing strain. When global cooperation falters, the space for peace and development narrows.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Pakistan remains deeply committed to the ideals and principles of the United Nations Charter. We firmly believe that multilateralism, which is inclusive, representative, and reformed — is essential for our shared security and prosperity.

We recognize, however, that the United Nations must continue to evolve. For multilateralism to remain relevant, it must address structural deficiencies, give stronger voice to developing countries, and deliver equitably for all. Reforming multilateralism is not a rejection of it; it is the only way to preserve it.

Pakistan has consistently upheld the central role of the United Nations in international relations. We have been active and constructive partners in advancing its work — from peacekeeping and humanitarian response to development cooperation and climate resilience.

As one of the leading troop-contributing countries and the host of one of the UN’s oldest peacekeeping missions, UNMOGIP, Pakistan remains steadfast in supporting UN peacekeeping as a vital tool for global stability.

Given the challenges facing our region, there is a need to further strengthen UNMOGIP’s role, alongside a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

As currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2025–26 term, Pakistan is fully committed to working with all member states to uphold peace, justice, and multilateral cooperation. The unanimous adoption of Resolution 2788 during Pakistan’s Presidency of the UN Security Council in July this year stands as testimony to our resolve to bring the UN Charter’s tools for peaceful dispute resolution to the forefront of global diplomacy.

Excellencies,

Pakistan commends the sincere and visionary efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General and his team in launching the UN80 Initiative. We welcome the UN80 initiative as a timely and important effort to reinvigorate and modernize the United Nations, making it more responsive, efficient, and representative of contemporary global realities.

At a time of heightened global instability, the core mandate of maintaining international peace and security must remain paramount. Conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding functions should not be compromised on the basis of cost-cutting; rather, these must be strengthened.

Likewise, the priorities and core interests of developing countries must remain central, particularly regarding the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The development pillar of the United Nations, as well as its critical humanitarian role, must not be weakened in this process.

Pakistan will continue to engage constructively with the UN80 process to help ensure that the Organization remains equipped to meet present and future challenges effectively and fairly.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We aspire to an international order defined not by unilateralism and division, but by cooperation, inclusion, and peaceful coexistence — with the United Nations at its centre.

On this United Nations Day, Pakistan reaffirms its enduring commitment to multilateralism and to the UN Charter’s vision of peace, development, and human dignity for all.

Thank you.

Islamabad
October 23, 2025