The appeal was made by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, during a UN General Debate on strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement, prevention and resolution of disputes.
Addressing the session, Ambassador Ahmad said that the peaceful settlement of disputes remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and a fundamental obligation under the UN Charter.
“The true test of our commitment to peace is not how we condemn conflicts after they break out, but how proactively we prevent them in the first place,” he said.
Describing mediation as a vital tool for maintaining international peace, the envoy said it serves as a bridge between confrontation and reconciliation by allowing diplomacy to replace force with dialogue and reason.
He stressed that conflicts often emerge when diplomacy is delayed, communication breaks down and disputes are left unresolved, adding that the UN’s responsibility extends beyond responding to wars and includes preventing them before they devastate societies and regions.
The ambassador also highlighted United Nations Security Council Resolution 2788, which was presented by Pakistan and unanimously adopted by the Security Council in July 2025.
According to him, the resolution reaffirmed the importance of Chapter VI of the UN Charter, encouraged greater use of mediation and diplomatic engagement, and emphasised the role of the United Nations and regional organisations in peacefully resolving disputes.
Ambassador Ahmad said the same principles have guided Pakistan’s diplomacy during the recent Middle East crisis.
“As a friendly neighbour of Iran, a brotherly partner of Gulf countries and a country with longstanding ties with the United States, Pakistan continues to make sincere efforts to facilitate a durable solution for regional and global peace and stability,” he said.
The envoy outlined several proposals aimed at strengthening international mediation efforts, including improved early warning systems, preventive diplomacy, greater use of the UN secretary-general’s good offices and more proactive implementation of Chapter VI mechanisms.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that mediation efforts are firmly rooted in international law and the UN Charter, address the root causes of conflicts and receive adequate institutional and financial support.
Pakistan, he said, would continue advocating for mediation as a key instrument in conflict prevention, resolution and the promotion of international peace.
Pakistan Raises Concerns Over Situation in Lebanon
In a separate address to the UN Security Council, Ambassador Ahmad expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Lebanon, warning that nearly 2,000 square kilometres of Lebanese territory—about 20% of the country—remains under what he described as illegal Israeli occupation.
Speaking during an emergency Security Council meeting, he said evacuation orders and ongoing military operations were causing severe hardship for civilians.
“It seems it is the same strategy, the same playbook that we have seen elsewhere: indiscriminate killing, forced displacement and occupation,” he told council members.
Citing figures presented during the meeting, the envoy said more than 3,400 people, including women and children, had been killed since March, while over 10,000 others had been injured.
He added that more than one million people had been displaced by the violence.
Referring to assessments by UN humanitarian officials, Ahmad said civilians across Lebanon were facing what had been described as an “appalling escalation of violence, displacement and human loss,” and called for urgent international attention to the crisis.
