Pakistan opposes expansion of veto power, calls for equitable security council reform

Business Recorder · 27/10/2026، 7:22:47 AM

Pakistan Monday told the UN General Assembly that reform of the Security Council must tackle the veto power, held by the five permanent members — US, Russia, China, France and UK — to end the 15-member body’s institutional paralysis and make it more effective and equitable. “The misuse of the veto undermines the Security Council’s effectiveness and the credibility of the UN, while giving the permanent five unmatched influence throughout the UN system,” Pakistani delegate Gul Qaiser Sarwani told the 193-member Assembly where representatives reiterated calls to restructure the Council to make it more responsive to its primary role of maintaining international peace and security, as they debated use of the veto. The General Assembly convened in line with resolution 76/262, adopted in April 2022, which mandates it to hold a session within 10 working days of a veto being cast in the Security Council. With the campaign of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan for permanent seats on the Council in mind, Sarwani, a counsellor and political coordinator in the Pakistan Mission to the UN, said more permanent members and more vetoes would deepen existing inequalities, perpetuate historical privileges, create new centres of power and increase the risk of institutional paralysis. “Let us be clear: the problems cannot be the solution,” he said, highlighting that Pakistan/Italy-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group remains opposed to addition of any new individual permanent member on an expanded Security Council. “We believe that the veto should be abolished or at least severely restricted; it must not be expanded,” Sarwani said. Pakistan, he said, supported resolution 76/262, saying any measures to restrict or restrain the use of the veto must be consistent with the UN Charter provisions. Regarding the negative power of the veto to “block”, Sarwani said Pakistan believes that this can be better balanced by placing restrictions on the use of the veto or by enhancing the number and role