ISLAMABAD: Pakistan may face tough challenges ahead with India as non-permanent member of the Untied Nations Security Council (UNSC), which requires a proactive diplomacy to block New Delhi's longstanding desire of getting permanent membership of the Council and to foil its designs of creating troubles for Pakistan at the international fora.
This was stated by serving and former diplomats, while talking to Business Recorder, who emphasized the need for a pro-active diplomatic offensive at the international fora to thwart India's designs to hurting Pakistan's interests.
India is set to be elected unopposed as the non-permanent member of the Security Council on Wednesday, following the Asia Pacific Group, Pakistan is also one of the members of, endorsed the New Delhi's candidature in September 2019, when Pakistan was represented by Dr Maleeha Lodhi as the permanent representative for the UN.
"This not an individual decision by any country to endorse another country within the [Asia Pacific] group for the non-permanent membership of the Council, but a consensus is developed to endorse candidature of any country," a diplomatic source explained, adding that India was the only candidate for the next two years term.
However, he added that the vote was cast through secret ballot and every country, including Pakistan would cast vote according to their strategic and national interest.
Both Pakistan and India have held the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for seven times each in the past from different times, he said, adding that it would be India's eighth time to become the non-permanent member of the Council.
The elections are being held on Wednesday to elect five countries for two-year terms on, beginning on January 1, 2021.
The Security Council has five permanent members - the United States, China, Russia, United Kingdom and France - and 10 non-permanent members to be elected by the General Assembly, with five members elected every year.
The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis - five for African and Asian states; one for the Eastern European States, two for the Latin American and Caribbean States, and two for Western European and other states.
In the group of Western nations, Canada, Ireland and Norway are battling for two seats, and in Africa, Kenya and Djibouti are competing for one seat.
India is running unopposed for the Asia-Pacific seat, and Mexico is the sole candidate for the Latin America and the Caribbean seat. Both countries were endorsed by their respective regional groups.
Pakistan, according to diplomatic sources, has started lobbying for its candidature for the term of 2025-2026, for which election will be held in 2024. Previously, Pakistan held the non-permanent membership in 2012.
"There is no doubt, India as the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, will make every effort to create troubles for Pakistan at the international fora, as we have several challenges ahead including the New Delhi's bid to get the permanent membership of the Council," said Ambassador (retired) Ali Sarwar Naqvi, while talking to Business Recorder.
He said that needs to launch an active diplomatic offensive to block India's longstanding desire of becoming the permanent member of the Council.
He said that India would also use its leverage over the permanent members including the United States, being its strategic partner, and France, which supported India in the recent Security Council debate on Kashmir issue.
However, he explained that it is not for the first time India would hold the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, adding that every country; including Pakistan has their friends - permanent members in the Council - who can veto any move in the UNSC.
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