Pakistan to assume Security Council seat Sunday.

NEW YORK: Pakistan will assume its seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Sunday as a non-permanent member for a two-year term.      

Earlier in October 2011, Pakistan was elected to the 15-nation Council in by a narrow margin contest when 129 out of 193 members of the UN General Assembly voted for it.

Kyrgyzstan, which had challenged Pakistan, was far behind with 55 votes.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, who spearheaded the campaign, had said that Pakistan would play a constructive role in resolving key global issues that the Council is dealing with or may face.

He added that Pakistan was committed to multilateralism and promoting the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter.

“We hope to play our usual role of taking on matters which affect the underdog, so as to speak.”

The Security Council, a primary instrument for establishing and maintaining international peace, has five permanent members -Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States – and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms, from five different regions of the world. Pakistan will replace Lebanon, which completes its two-year term on the Asian seat at midnight on Saturday. More