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The Great Lakes region stands at a decisive juncture. In eastern DRC, the situation continues to deteriorate. The advance of AFC/M23, and the surge in ADF attacks have intensified human suffering and plight of the civilians. As we have often said, there can be no military solution to this crisis. Pakistan calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and full implementation of resolution 2773 (2025). Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, delivers the national statement at the UNSC briefing on the Great Lakes Region Please watch the statement by Pakistan below

Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN At the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Agenda Items 54-58: Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (6 October 2025) ******** Distinguished Chair, At the outset, I extend my congratulations on your election as well as to the Bureau members. The imperative of decolonization is not merely a matter of history; it remains an urgent demand of justice for peoples still living under alien domination and foreign occupation. The Declaration on Decolonization proclaims that ‘all people’ have the right to self-determination. The founding fathers of the United Nations expressly acknowledged the primacy of this right by placing it in the very first article of the UN Charter. The Declaration also decrees that the subjection of people to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations. For its part, since our own independence, Pakistan has been at the forefront of the United Nations-led decolonization process, extending unwavering support to peoples struggling against colonialism, foreign occupation and alien domination. Chair, The decolonization agenda has seen historic progress since 1946, with over 80 former colonies achieving independence under the auspices of the United Nations, that is a manifestation of the transformative power of the UN Charter and the Declaration. Yet, the story of decolonization remains incomplete. Peoples in different regions continue to remain deprived of their right to self-determination, foremost among them the people of Palestine and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The tragedy of Palestine continues to cast a long shadow over the credibility of the international order and the United Nations. Generations of Palestinians have endured occupation, dispossession, blockades, and repeated cycles of violence, the latest being the tragedy in Gaza that hs unfolded before us over the last two years. More than 66,000 Palestinians - the vast majority women and children - have been killed. Homes, schools, and hospitals have been deliberately destroyed. Aid workers and journalists targeted – as Israel, the occupying power has trampled upon international law, including International Humanitarian Law with repunity. Words do not suffice to describe the gravity of the situation. Our position is clear. Lasting peace in the Middle East requires the realization of the right of the self determination by the Palestinian people, and the establishment of a viable, independent, and contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Occupation must end, for it is the root cause of instability in the region. The recent consultations led by the US President with Arab and OIC leaders, and the announcement of a plan mark important developments that have been widely acknowledged. We sincerely hope that these efforts will secure what is urgently needed: an immediate ceasefire and end to the war in Gaza unimpeded humanitarian access, and a credible political pathway toward Palestinian statehood, in accordance with international legitimacy and UN resolutions. Chair, In our own region, the flagrant denial of self-determination in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) continues unabated. This is one of the oldest unresolved items on the agenda of the United Nations, sanctified in a series of Security Council resolutions which explicitly prescribe that the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir shall be decided through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Both India and Pakistan accepted these commitments. Under Article 25 of the UN Charter, implementation of these resolutions is binding. For more than seven decades, India has evaded its obligations through repression, deception, and brute force. Since the illegal and unilateral measures of 5 August 2019, India has sought to annex the disputed territory in gross violation of Security Council resolutions which contain clear provision that no unilateral action can constitute the final disposition of the territory. All such actions are null and void. IIOJK has become the most heavily militarized zone in the world, with over 900,000 occupation forces deployed in the region. This military occupation has unleashed a reign of terror: extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, arbitrary detentions, and collective punishment. The entire legitimate Kashmiri leadership has been imprisoned since 2019, with several leaders passing away in custody. Yet, despite this repression, the Kashmiri people continue their courageous struggle for freedom, rejecting India’s illegal measures and sham exercises. In parallel, India has embarked on a settler-colonial project to alter the demographic composition of the occupied territory. Millions of illegal domicile certificates have been issued to outsiders, accompanied by the confiscation of Kashmiri lands and properties for military and official use. This is a blatant attempt to convert IIOJK’s Muslim-majority into a Hindu-majority territory - an enterprise driven by the extremist “Hindutva” ideology that promotes religious supremacy and persecution of minorities. Chair, Durable peace in South Asia cannot be achieved without the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Pakistan seeks peaceful and cooperative relations with all its neighbours, including India. But peace cannot be built on injustice and denial of rights. India must end its human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and without delay rescind all unilateral and unlawful measures taken since 5 August 2019. The Security Council must actively promote a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with its resolutions and in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Chair, In conclusion, let me reiterate that the international community cannot allow colonialism in any form to persist in the 21st century. Pakistan will continue to champion the unfinished agenda of decolonization. The credibility of this Organization rests on ensuring that the promises are fulfilled. I thank you.

Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Permanent Representative of Pakistan At the UN General Assembly – Veto Debate (Palestinian Question) (1 October 2025) *** Madam President, 1. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Denmark on behalf of the 10 elected members of the Security Council including Pakistan, who jointly tabled the draft resolution that was vetoed. And that is the reason we are here. We greatly appreciate the role played by Denmark in coordinating the E-10. 2. We meet at a moment of deep concern and anguish. The Security Council, entrusted with primary responsibility to safeguard peace, once again failed to act when Gaza needed it most. A resolution intended to halt the carnage and deliver humanitarian relief was blocked — leaving millions to their unfortunate fate. 3. For the elected ten members of the Council, this was not routine diplomacy. It was an urgent effort to answer the cries of a people trapped in bombing, rubble, famine, and despair. The failure to move forward was bitterly disappointing. But paralysis in one chamber must not mean incapacity across the United Nations and the international community. 4. The truth is stark. Gaza has been pulverized. Families huddle under broken concrete, searching for children who will never return. Hunger stalks every street; famine has already taken hold in Gaza City and threatens to engulf Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. More than 66,000 Palestinians — the vast majority women and children — have been killed. Homes, schools, and hospitals have been deliberately wiped out. This is not war. It is the erasure of a people’s future. Israel, the occupying power, must be held fully accountable. 5. The anguish of Palestine has rightly been at the very heart of this year’s General Debate. Amid devastation, the voices of conscience have grown louder. The convening of the Two-State Solution Conference, the recognitions of Palestine by more states, and the rising calls worldwide for a ceasefire and a durable solution of the Palestinian question offer rays of hope in this darkness. 6. The recent consultations held by President Trump with the Arab and OIC leaders, the announcement of a plan by the U.S., are noteworthy developments that have been widely welcomed. We hope — cautiously but sincerely, that such initiatives can help deliver what is most urgently needed: an immediate ceasefire, an end to the war, unfettered humanitarian assistance, and, above all, a credible political horizon towards Palestinian statehood. Pakistan, as part of these consultations, will work to ensure that efforts are judged not by promises, but by results: stopping the killing, ending the occupation, reuniting families, rebuilding Gaza, and guaranteeing protection and dignity to the Palestinian people. 7. Let me note in this regard, that in a Joint Statement, the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt welcomed President Trump’s efforts, including his announcement that he would not allow the annexation of the West Bank, and reaffirmed their joint commitment to work with the United States to end the war in Gaza through a comprehensive deal, one that ensures unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid, prevents displacement of the Palestinians, secures the release of hostages, achieves full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilds Gaza, and creates a path for a just peace on the basis of the two-state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state in accordance with international law, as key to achieving regional stability and security. 8. In line with these commitments, today, from this podium, we make five urgent calls: i. An immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire across all Occupied Palestinian Territories; ii. The lifting of the blockade and unfettered humanitarian access; iii. The release of all hostages and Palestinian prisoners; iv. A complete end to forced displacement, settlements, and any designs for annexation; v. A credible, time-bound political process in line with international legitimacy, to establish an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. 9. Palestinian people are the masters of their own destiny, and that destiny is freedom. Palestinians can no longer be denied their right to self-determination. Peace cannot be postponed any longer. 10. Pakistan will remain steadfast in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We will stand with all who seek justice, and we will work with all who strive for peace. Only through decisive and principled action can we restore faith in humanity and achieve the long coveted peace in the Middle East. I thank you.