Pakistan’s Ascent in Global Diplomacy

Recently, when Pakistan was appointed as the Vice-Chair of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) 2025, it became a crucial step not merely in the diplomatic successes of Pakistan but also its growing and more prominent presence in the international arena. Pakistan’s Ascent in Global Diplomacy The identified tendency is especially crucial as it occurs during the time when Pakistan is serving as the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which gives the state an even more significant role in the establishment of international peace and security as well as counter-terrorism policies. Besides this honorary position, Pakistan has been, also, awarded with the chairmanship of the Taliban Sanctions Committee, or 1988 Sanctions Committee, charged with overseeing and enforcing sanctions on individuals and organizations linked to the Taliban. These two roles highlight the ever-increasing confidence of the international community in the diplomatic potential of Pakistan, its adherence to international security and its potential to contribute positively to one of the most complicated and urgent problems of the world community.
The election of Pakistan to such important posts in the UNSC system is not a ceremonial feat but a clear cut appreciation of its proactive and consistent engagement in the world of international diplomacy especially in issues that relate to regional and international security. The Counter-Terrorism Committee which was formed after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is instrumental in monitoring the observance of measures which are meant to combat acts of terrorism throughout the world. These instruments are the prevention of financing of terrorism, limiting the travel of terrorists, and enhancing the abilities of member states to fight the threats on the legislative, regulatory, and institutional levels. This aspect makes Pakistan a vice-chairman of such a crucial committee, and hence, Pakistan will play a vital role in the collective fight of the international community against terrorism, which is an issue of paramount importance considering Pakistan has also been fighting extremist violence in its territory and in its broader neighbourhood over the past decades.
Equal importance in the present geopolitical climate is the Taliban Sanctions Committee that Pakistan will head. Also called the 1988 Sanctions Committee officially, this entity is charged with the responsibility of managing or implementing sanctions against individuals and organizations that support the Taliban. Such sanctions include asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargo, all to minimize the strength and the scope of the Taliban related groups that undermine not only the stability in Afghanistan but also in the greater part of the region. Considering that Pakistan is geographically close to Afghanistan and has historical, political and economic relations with its neighbour, the chairmanship of this committee by Islamabad is a strategic position as well as a great responsibility. Pakistan understands the Afghan dynamics better, has long been a part of the peace process in the region and is a stakeholder in the future stability of Afghanistan; these factors make it more than qualified to chair this committee with understanding and efficiency.
The two appointments are part of a wider appreciation of the shift in Pakistan foreign policy stance in recent years and its strategic readjustment. Pakistan foreign relation has been viewed over the decades through the prism of its bilateral relation with its neighbour India and its relation with the major powers including the United States and China. But during the recent years Pakistan has been trying to rebrand itself as an active and responsible state on various global issues whether it is climate change, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, or sustainable development. Pakistan has widened its diplomatic scope through the immense contributions it has made to the UN peacekeeping missions, the promotion of climate justice, and being at the forefront in representing the Islamic world. This recent success at the UN Security Council can be seen as an end product of these long-standing attempts to portray a more positive and proportional image on the global scene.
The role that Pakistan plays in the Counter-Terrorism Committee is particularly significant due to the fact that this country also had its history of struggles with terrorism and extremism. Pakistan is a leading country in the global war on terror that has started in the early 2000s, and the country has lost a lot of human and economic resources. Pakistan has sacrificed tens of thousands of civilians, military and law enforcement personnel in the national effort to combat terrorism and the country has spent billions of dollars in counter-terrorism efforts, infrastructure and capacity building. The international community has not overlooked these sacrifices, and the appointment of Pakistan to the CTC vice-chairmanship may be regarded as a sign of recognition of the resilience shown by this country and its pivotal role in the global struggle against extremism. It will also give Pakistan a chance to contribute its own hard-earned counter-terrorism experiences to the experiences of other nations so that the world best practices and policies on counter-terrorism are developed out of practical experiences.
Equally important, the Taliban Sanctions Committee chairmanship has put Pakistan in the racquet so that it can influence international policy on Afghanistan at a very crucial time. The Afghanistan situation is very complicated and dynamic as the Taliban took back power in 2021 after the U.S. led NATO troops withdrew. The international community is still struggling with the issues of engaging with the Taliban regime and at the same time preventing Afghanistan to turn into a terrorist haven of international terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and the ISIS. Pakistan, as a chair of the sanctions committee, will play a key role in ensuring that sanctions do their intended purpose, balancing between punishment and the inducement of positive behaviours, and promoting a political atmosphere that will result in permanent peace and stability in Afghanistan. Through this role, Pakistan could also speak on behalf of the humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, who are still struggling economically and food insecurity due to the sanctions and diplomatic isolation by the international community.
In addition to the direct diplomatic value, the election of Pakistan to these UN posts could have long term dividends on Pakistani international prestige. It is an indication of the increased confidence by other countries in the capacity of Pakistan to play its role in peace and security at the international level, a belief which may pave way to more economic collaboration, foreign investment and strategic relations. Furthermore, this process may bring some positive effects to the Pakistani regional diplomacy, especially in South Asia and Central Asia, where the security problems are strongly intermingled with the questions of trade, development, and the energy collaboration. An effective and responsible international Pakistani actor could find it less challenging to pursue its interests in these spheres, whether it is ensuring investments in its infrastructure development plans such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) or facilitating a mediator state in regional issues and conflicts.
Domestically, these international commitments may also provide a boost to additional reforms to the Pakistani security and governance sectors. Pakistan as a major stakeholder in this UN counter-terrorism structure will be called upon to uphold high degrees of transparency, accountability, and performance of its counter-terrorism efforts. This would press them to make positive changes related to financial regulation to prevent money laundering and terror financing, judicial reforms to help prosecute terrorism cases more effectively, and better coordination of the security agencies. These areas of focus have the potential not only to enhance the security of Pakistan but also the legal and institutional frameworks, which would lead to the general resilience of the state and public confidence.