Shafaqna Pakistan: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, during separate meetings with UN Secretary-General candidate Michelle Bachelet, stressed the need for the faithful implementation of UN resolutions and international treaties.
In his meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism and underscored the United Nations’ central role in addressing global challenges.
He called for adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, effective implementation of UN resolutions and international treaties, and balanced progress across the organisation’s three pillars of peace and security, development, and human rights.
The prime minister also urged stronger international cooperation and renewed efforts to advance the global development agenda.
Ms Bachelet praised Pakistan’s longstanding and valuable contributions to the United Nations and acknowledged its continued role in promoting regional and international peace and security.
In his meeting with Ms Bachelet at the Foreign Office, Dar underscored the need for peaceful resolution of international disputes through faithful implementation of UN Security Council resolutions for sustainable global peace. He particularly underscored the need for addressing Jammu and Kashmir dispute and Palestinian issue.
Ms Bachelet, former president of Chile, is currently visiting Islamabad as part of her campaign to seek support of UN member states in her bid to become first woman Secretary General of United Nations. Pakistan also recalls during her tenure as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, she spoke out strongly on human rights situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
Among the current candidates, she is regarded as one of the few who has publicly expressed views on the Kashmir issue.
As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2019, Bachelet criticised New Delhi following India’s decision to revoke special constitutional status of Muslim-majority region of Jammu and Kashmir and the subsequent security lockdown. “I am deeply concerned about the impact of recent actions by Government of India on human rights of Kashmiris,” Michelle Bachelet said in her opening statement to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
She also highlighted concerns over restrictions on internet access and peaceful assembly, as well as detention of local political leaders and activists.
In 2020, during former prime minister Imran Khan’s government, then Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari wrote to Michelle Bachelet, who was serving as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, informing her about alleged human rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir. In her letter, Mazari stated: “Your personal commitment to protecting and promoting human rights has been consistent and unwavering, due to which I appeal to your respected office to bring to a halt forcible transfer of civilian populations to and from Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir”.
The next UN Secretary General is scheduled to assume office on January 1, 2027, following a selection process that officially began on November 25, 2025. Under Article 97 of UN Charter, Secretary General is appointed by United Nations General Assembly upon recommendation of Security Council.
The successful candidate will serve a five-year term, renewable once for an additional five years by member states. Although there is no formal limit on the number of terms, no Secretary General has served more than two terms.
To be selected, a candidate must secure the support of at least nine members of the 15-member UN Security Council without a veto from any of its five permanent members. General Assembly then appoints recommended candidate by a majority vote.
Although the process is commonly referred to as an election, United Nations officially describes it as “procedure of selecting and appointing the next United Nations Secretary General”.
Since General Assembly has never rejected a candidate recommended by Security Council, the Council’s recommendation effectively determines who becomes the next Secretary General.
Source: The News
