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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan called for the immediate restoration of civilian passage through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that continued military escalation will drive economic hardship far beyond the Middle East, Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Thursday. The ambassador delivered the statement at a UN General Assembly Veto Debate on the Strait of Hormuz. &quot;The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is adversely impacting countries around the world, including Pakistan,&quot; he said. The ambassador warned that consequences for the regional and global economy were &quot;evidently harsh.&quot; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 651px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044843624941470180&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5340%2F&sessionId=24a6d90f2e85ae93786957329068a0fc0d5d343d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> Asim Iftikhar stated that the disruption extended beyond energy flows to fertilizers and other essential commodities. These directly affected food security, the cost of living, and the livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations. The ambassador stated that &ldquo;the IMF has warned of serious risks and raised alarms about rising public debt&rdquo; as governments respond to the energy crisis. He also cited that the New York Times carried the warning on its front page the same day. A separate headline in the same publication reported the stock market reaching a new peak, reflecting expectations that peace was near. Asim Iftilhar stated that Pakistan hosted talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, &ldquo;the product of direct engagement with the parties involved&rdquo; and outreach aimed at securing an immediate ceasefire. The ambassador said Pakistan has maintained sustained interaction at the leadership level with both Washington and Tehran, as well as with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, T&uuml;rkiye, China, and other regional partners. &ldquo;Islamabad has sought to facilitate the exchange of messages and help create conditions conducive to meaningful negotiations,&rdquo; he stated. The ambassador said Pakistan supports the &ldquo;sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and security of all countries&rdquo; in the region. He mentioned that Islamabad stands in &quot;complete solidarity&quot; with GCC states during the crisis. Asim Iftikhar called for the security of ships and crew members and the swift, safe passage of civilian vessels through the Strait. He stated &nbsp;that any arrangement related to Hormuz must account for the legitimate interests of GCC countries in accordance with international law. &quot;If the military escalation and disruptions persist, the suffering will prolong and extend far beyond the region,&quot; Ahmad said. &quot;Return to peace, on the other hand, will benefit all.&quot;

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad speaks during a UN General Assembly debate on the Strait of Hormuz, on April 16, 2026. (Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN/X)

Foreign Affairs

Warning prolonged disruption threatens global economy, food security and vulnerable populations, Pakistan calls for ceasefire and safe civilian passage through the Strait of Hormuz at UN.

Pakistan urges Hormuz strait reopening, cites widespread economic fallout at UNGA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said that the if the &ldquo;military escalation and disruptions persists&rdquo; due to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, then the suffering will be prolonged and extended &ldquo;far beyond the region, translating into widespread economic hardship.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Return to peace on the other hand will benefit all,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said.&nbsp; US President Donald Trump has said that a deal with Iran could be within reach, indicating that the next round of negotiations may take place as early as this weekend, with Islamabad remaining a key venue in the diplomatic process. Meanwhile, Iran is &quot;cautiously optimistic&quot; about the outcome of negotiations with the United States to end the war, its ambassador to the United Nations said, while acknowledging deep mistrust toward Washington. While speaking to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ambassador Iftikhar said the country&rsquo;s &ldquo;clear and unequivocal position&rdquo; on the situation was clear as, Pakistan remained &ldquo;deeply concerned at the developments over the past weeks in the region.&rdquo; The ambassador said that Pakistan prioritized de-escalation from the start and the Islamabad Talks were made possible because of the country&rsquo;s outreach efforts.&nbsp; &ldquo;Through the &lsquo;Islamabad Process,&rsquo; Pakistan is pursuing the objective of ending the war and ensuring long-term peace,&rdquo; the ambassador said. While calling for the security of ships and civilians passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the ambassador said that the situation was adversely impacting countries with consequences for regional and global economy becoming &ldquo;evidently harsh.&rdquo; &ldquo;If the military escalation and disruptions persist, the suffering will prolong and extend far beyond the region, translating into widespread economic hardship,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;Pakistan remains committed to continue playing its constructive role in promoting dialogue, fostering understanding, and supporting all efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in the region,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Permanent Representative to UN says Pakistan remains committed to continuing to play a constructive role in promoting dialogue, fostering understanding, and supporting all efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in the region

Returning to peace ‘will benefit all’: Pakistan at UN 

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan told the United Nations on Friday that a just and peaceful world order depends on applying international law universally, warning against impunity in conflicts like Kashmir and Palestine. At the UN Sixth Committee meeting on &ldquo;The Rule of Law at the National and International Level,&rdquo; Pakistan ambassador to the UN&nbsp;Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the rule of law is the foundation of civilization and economic growth. He warned that growing geopolitical rivalry and unilateral actions risk breaking down the international legal order. Ahmad pointed to ongoing occupations in Jammu and Kashmir and said ending impunity and respecting international law are essential for peace. He condemned India&rsquo;s May 2025 offensive as a serious violation of Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty that killed 54 civilians. Pakistan&rsquo;s lawful and proportionate response followed Article 51 of the UN Charter. The ambassador said peace and development depend on the rule of law and Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to peaceful dispute resolution, noting Security Council Resolution 2788, passed under Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership this year. He urged all states to follow binding Security Council resolutions. Marking 80 years of the UN, he called for democratizing international law to ensure it remains inclusive and fair. He said Pakistan bases its actions on sovereignty, self-determination, non-use of force, and non-interference. The Pakistani envoy closed his speech by saying his country&nbsp;will work to strengthen the rules-based international system to reduce conflict and promote global stability.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad. 

Pakistan told the UN that peace requires universal international law, condemned India's May 2025 aggression against Pakistan, and urged respect for Security Council resolutions to ensure stability.

Pakistan tells UN selective justice undermines rule of law in Kashmir, Palestine

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed called on the international community to uphold the right to self-determination for the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir and Palestine, during his address at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.&nbsp;Addressing the Special Political and Decolonization Committee during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed drew global attention to the ongoing plights of peoples living under foreign occupation, particularly in Indian-occupied Kashmir and Palestine.&nbsp;He described the denial of self-determination to the Kashmiri people as one of the UN&rsquo;s oldest unresolved issues and urged the global body to implement its own resolutions. &ldquo;The final status of Jammu and Kashmir must be determined through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision,&rdquo; Ahmed stressed.&nbsp;Condemning India&rsquo;s decades-long actions in the region, the Pakistani envoy accused New Delhi of pursuing a &ldquo;settler-colonial agenda&rdquo; aimed at altering Kashmir&rsquo;s demography. He cited the deployment of 900,000 Indian troops in the region and widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and collective punishment.&nbsp;Ahmed also denounced India&rsquo;s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s special constitutional status on August 5, 2019, calling it illegal and in direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions.&nbsp;He warned that peace in South Asia remains impossible without resolving the Kashmir dispute and praised the resilience of Kashmiris in their struggle for freedom. &ldquo;Peace cannot be built on injustice and denial of rights,&rdquo; he asserted.&nbsp;Turning to the crisis in Gaza, the ambassador condemned Israel&rsquo;s airstrikes, stating that women and children were being deliberately targeted. &ldquo;These are not collateral damages, these are blatant violations of international humanitarian law,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Ahmed described Gaza&rsquo;s humanitarian catastrophe as a consequence of long-standing occupation, adding that &ldquo;occupation must end, as it remains the root cause of regional instability.&rdquo;&nbsp;He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s unwavering support for a viable and independent State of Palestine, based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.&nbsp;Ahmed warned against the continued presence of colonialism in the modern era. &ldquo;The struggles of Kashmir and Palestine are powerful reminders that freedom denied is freedom diminished,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The international community cannot allow colonialism in any form to persist in the 21st century.&rdquo;

Pakistan’s UN envoy called for upholding Kashmir and Palestine’s right to self-determination, condemning Indian repression and Israeli occupation, while urging international support for peace and decolonization efforts.

Articles tagged with "Pakistan Permanent Representative to UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmed"

Pakistan urges Hormuz strait reopening, cites widespread economic fallout at UNGA

Returning to peace ‘will benefit all’: Pakistan at UN

Pakistan tells UN selective justice undermines rule of law in Kashmir, Palestine

Pakistan urges UN action on Kashmir, Palestine occupations