Pakistan Moratorium on Selection of Chairs for UN Security Council Panels Overseeing Terrorism Matters
When the UN's in a Spin:
The cat's out of the bag - the UN Security Council committees tackling terrorism have been left without chairs halfway through the year due to Pakistan's stubborn push to grab control of one, if not all, of these panels.
In the dog-eat-dog world of the Council, the Western nations ain't too thrilled about ol' Pakistan stealing the show. They've got good reasons for it. See, Pakistan, being an elected member, has been accused of harboring terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, and it has a rocky relationship with the Taliban that rules over its neighbor, Afghanistan. Because of these issues, they ain't exactly the best candidate for take-charge positions.
Consensus is key when it comes to the Council, and Pakistan has been milking it dry to block the appointment of the committees' chairs. These chats are kept informal and behind closed doors, but the diplomatic sources are spilling the tea.
Greece's rep, Evangelos Sekeris, who was prezzo of the Council last month, admitted it's been a hot mess trying to reach an agreement on leadership for these panels. Workarounds are being brainstormed to sort things out, given the current impasse.
In the meantime, the country with the rotating presidency gets to serve as the interim head of the panels. If the chairs aren't in place by the time Pakistan takes over the rotating presidency next month, you guessed it - they'll be the ones in the hot seat come July.
India had its chance back when it was on the Council from 2020 to 2022. They even hosted the Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai, right at the sites of the 26/11 terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists[1]. Pakistan was given the boot when it came to chairing that committee[1].
Another sticky situation is the 1267 Committee, which deals with affiliates of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Pakistan faces a direct conflict of interest since organizations and individuals sanctioned by this committee reside on their soil[2]. They're currently trying to snag the chair of the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee[2], but given their contentious relationship with the Taliban, it's an uphill battle.
If they do manage to clinch the deal, they plan to use the chair to tweak Afghanistan's nose - tightening or loosening sanctions to manipulate the Taliban, which they accuse of offering safe haven to forces operating against Pakistan[2].
All in all, Pakistan's gambit could be a game-changer for them in the international scene, with just the right mix of triumphs and hurdles to clear.
Insights:- The UNSC committees handling terrorism have been without chairs due to Pakistan's insistence on control.- Western countries have opposed Pakistan's leadership roles due to alleged links with terrorist organizations.- Diplomatic efforts are underway to find a solution, with risk of Pakistan successfully securing key positions.- Pakistan's alleged support of terrorist organizations and contentious relationship with the Taliban pose challenges to its ambitions.
[1] References to previous India's chairmanship of the Counterterrorism Committee can be found in reputable sources such as the Economic Times.[2] Enrichment data about Pakistan's insistence on the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee chair can be found in diplomatic sources and regional press.[3] The difficulty of achieving consensus in the UNSC due to Pakistan's insistence is discussed in various diplomatic and policy-focused publications.[4] Western countries' continuous efforts to mitigate Pakistan's impact can be traced in their interactions with other UNSC members and regional allies.
- The ongoing politics surrounding the UNSC committees tasked with policy-and-legislation on terrorism has escalated, with Western nations voicing their displeasure over Pakistan's efforts to seize control of these committees, which convenience- lyly fall under the category of general-news.
- With Pakistan's accused affiliation with terrorist groups and tense relations with the Taliban, the international community is closely monitoring the unfolding situation, particularly the implications if Pakistan manages to secure key positions within the UNSC committees, potentially influencing policy-and-legislation on global terrorism.
