Pakistan gains key UNSC roles, chairs Taliban Sanctions Committee
Islamabad secures vice-chair of Counter-Terrorism Committee and leadership of Taliban sanctions body amid renewed regional diplomacy
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (MNTV) — In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Pakistan has been appointed chair of the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) 1988 Sanctions Committee, which oversees international measures targeting individuals and entities linked to the Taliban.
The country has also been elected vice-chair of the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), signaling Islamabad’s growing influence within global security frameworks.
The 1988 Committee is tasked with enforcing travel bans, asset freezes, and arms embargoes on Taliban-affiliated entities.
These measures are aimed at preventing activities that threaten the peace, stability, and security of Afghanistan.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, has been named the chair of the committee, succeeding Ecuador’s José Javier De La Gasca.
His vice-chairs will be representatives from Guyana and Russia.
The appointment coincides with renewed efforts by Pakistan to recalibrate its relationship with the Taliban-led Afghan government.
In recent days, Islamabad elevated its Chargé d’Affaires in Kabul to ambassadorial rank, a move reciprocated by the Taliban government, marking a thaw in bilateral ties.
Pakistan’s role at the UNSC goes beyond the Taliban sanctions body. It has also assumed the vice-chairmanship of the powerful Counter-Terrorism Committee, chaired by Algeria, with France and Russia as fellow vice-chairs. The CTC is responsible for guiding and monitoring global efforts to combat terrorism.
Additionally, Pakistan will co-chair two Informal Working Groups: one on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions and another on General Sanctions Issues, further enhancing its voice in shaping UNSC processes.
The 15-member Security Council includes five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — and ten non-permanent members. Pakistan, along with Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia, currently holds a non-permanent seat for the 2025–26 term.
Pakistan’s appointments come at a time when the UNSC is grappling with a wide array of geopolitical challenges, from counterterrorism and regional conflicts to sanctions enforcement.
Pakistan’s ascension to these roles marks a notable diplomatic win, especially given the strategic competition in the region.
The development is also seen as a setback for India, which has long opposed Pakistan’s inclusion in sensitive UNSC roles.
The shift also reflects changing dynamics within the Security Council, where emerging and non-permanent members are increasingly assuming influential positions traditionally dominated by permanent powers.
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