ISLAMABAD: In a pointed rebuke at the United Nations Security Council,India has sharply criticised Pakistan’s appointment as chair of the 1988Sanctions Committee targeting the Taliban, labelling it a blatant conflictof interest that undermines the credibility of global counter-terrorismefforts. Delivered by India’s Permanent Representative, ParvathaneniHarish, during a recent session, the statement highlighted concerns overPakistan’s historical and ongoing ties with the Taliban regime inAfghanistan, arguing that nations with vested interests should not helmsuch sensitive panels.
This development, occurring as Pakistan assumes its non-permanent seat onthe UNSC for the 2025-2026 term, has reignited longstanding tensionsbetween the two nuclear-armed neighbours, casting a shadow overmultilateral diplomacy in South Asia.
Pakistan’s elevation to chair the Taliban Sanctions Committee, alongsideits roles as vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (Resolution1373) and co-chair of the panel on non-proliferation of weapons of massdestruction, was announced earlier this year by the UN Secretariat.Officials in Islamabad have defended these appointments as a recognition ofPakistan’s substantial contributions to international peace and security,including its sacrifices in the fight against terrorism—over 80,000 liveslost and billions spent since 2001. Yet, from New Delhi’s perspective,these positions smack of irony, given Pakistan’s alleged support for groupslike the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Taiba, bothdesignated under UN sanctions.
Harish’s remarks underscored this duality, urging the UN to prioritise”transparent and merit-based” selections to preserve the integrity ofsanctions regimes.
Analysts note that while India’s critique aligns with its strategic push toisolate Pakistan on the global stage—evident in its advocacy fordesignating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist—the appointments reflect therotational nature of UNSC committees, where influence is distributed amongmembers irrespective of past controversies. Pakistan, for its part, hasconsistently maintained that its Afghan policy prioritises regionalstability, including facilitating humanitarian aid and advocating for aninclusive government in Kabul. However, the timing of India’s intervention,amid escalating cross-border skirmishes and the resurgence of TTP attacksinside Pakistan, suggests a calculated diplomatic offensive aimed atamplifying Islamabad’s vulnerabilities.
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This episode exemplifies the intricate interplay of geopolitics in UNforums, where South Asian rivalries often eclipse collective securitygoals. For Pakistan, navigating these roles demands meticulous diplomacy tocounter perceptions of duplicity, perhaps by bolstering evidence of itsanti-terror credentials through enhanced intelligence-sharing and borderfortifications. Conversely, India’s assertive stance could galvanisesupport from Western allies wary of Taliban entrenchment, potentiallypressuring Pakistan to recalibrate its Afghan engagements. As the UNSCgrapples with Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis—with over 24 million inneed of aid—these internal frictions risk diluting focus on substantivesanctions enforcement, allowing the Taliban to exploit divisions amongenforcers.
In the long term, this clash underscores the urgent need for UNSCrestructuring to mitigate such conflicts, ensuring that chairmanshipsreflect consensus rather than rote rotation. Until then, Pakistan’s tenurewill serve as a litmus test for its diplomatic resilience, withimplications rippling across the Durand Line and beyond. As Harishconcluded, “Credibility is the currency of these committees,” a sentimentthat resonates in Islamabad’s corridors, where officials vow to demonstratethrough action that their leadership advances, rather than hampers, theglobal fight against extremism.
Source:https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/pakistan-secures-key-roles-unsc-committees-should-india-worry-10060462/ Source:www.news18.com/india/obvious-conflicts-of-interest-india-shades-pakistan-for-heading-un-taliban-sanctions-panel-ws-kl-9710246.html”>https://www.news18.com/india/obvious-conflicts-of-interest-india-shades-pakistan-for-heading-un-taliban-sanctions-panel-ws-kl-9710246.html