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Mr. President,
Let me begin by congratulating China for assuming the Presidency of the Council for this month.
My delegation also welcomes convening of this important debate and thank the Secretary-General and other briefers for their insightful remarks.
Mr. President,
In 1945, as the world emerged from the most devastating war in recorded history, it was evident that if the horrors of the past were to be put to rest, international behaviour had to be governed, not by the whims of a few powerful states but instead, by a set of universally applicable rules - rooted in the firm conviction that "no matter how great our strength, we should deny ourselves the license to do as we please", and to work collaboratively so that our efforts become more than a sum of their constituent parts.
This essence of multilateralism was encapsulated in the creation of the United Nations.
During the last seven decades, the UN has remained an indispensable instrument for the promotion of our shared goals of peace, security and development.
From the crystallization of the inalienable right of peoples to self-determination, to its application in the struggle against colonialism and foreign occupation; from the ideal of the dignity and worth of an individual to the progressive development of instruments to promote and protect fundamental human rights, the UN has left an indelible mark in virtually all walks of international life.
The 2030 Development Agenda, Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustaining Peace Agenda are recent affirmations of this collective approach for the common good and our shared destiny.
Today, Mr. President, multilateralism is under assault.
Driven by forces of illiberalism and protectionism, jingoism is gaining ascendency over reason, intolerance over acceptance and bigotry over humanity.
Consensus-building and compromise are being viewed by some, not as virtues of strength, but as signs of weakness.
Exclusive pursuit of narrow national aims is being promoted as the sole determinant of world affairs.
Long standing legal norms are being eroded; UN resolutions and its binding decisions are flouted with impunity; force is threatened all too frequently.
Political brinkmanship and power-plays are threatening to turn strategic interests into clashing ambitions, thus accentuating the existing multiple global fault-lines.
These trends are not just regressive. They expose a rules based international order to new dangers.
Mr. President,
At a time of increasingly complex and mutually reinforcing challenges are threatening to overwhelm the world, we must be thoughtful and constructive in evolving our response to these new dangers.
After all, when seismic shifts triggered by globalization, human mobility, technological advances, terrorism and organized crime and climate change acknowledge neither physical boundaries nor geographical barriers, how can the international community remain divided into silos of narrow interests and divergent priorities and yet, hope to prevail over what are common challenges.
In our interconnected world, we are all vulnerable if some are insecure.
International cooperation is therefore imperative.
All the more so, as maximalist approaches are invariably and ultimately self-inhibiting - those who seek to win all, run the risk of losing all.
It was therefore, gratifying to hear the ringing endorsement of multilateralism from world leaders during the General debate of the current session. We must build on this momentum.
The best measure of our commitment to multilateralism is to strengthen the role of the UN.
For the UN will be no less - and can be no better, than what the membership wants the organization to be.
Mr. President,
A rules-based order with the UN at its core remains an abiding and fundamental element of my country's foreign policy.
Pakistan believes that the principles of the Charter based on the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in internal affairs, and pacific settlement of disputes, provide the requisite framework to promote peaceful relations between member states.
Provisions of Chapter VI of the Charter remain equally critical to this end.
True multilateralism entails not only that decisions are reflective of the diverse array of views and positions on any issue, but also that decision-making bodies are fully imbued with the democratic spirit of our times and are representative of the aspirations of all member states - small, medium and large.
These ideals have served as the foundation stone of Pakistan's perspective for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, and will continue to guide our efforts.
Mr. President,
The framers of the UN Charter were no vain idealists in seeking to 'save succeeding generations from the scourge of war'.
While swords have not been turned into ploughshares, there is no better vehicle than the United Nations to achieve the goals of advancing modern civilization to a new and higher level; assure a life of dignity for all people; and create a just and peaceful world order.
I close with the words of my country's founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah who said:
"Pakistan will never be found lacking in upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter."
I thank you.