Pak resists creation of new permanent seats at UN Security Council

Islamabad [Pakistan], Nov. 8 (ANI): Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr Maleeha Lodhi has said that the creation of new permanent seats at Security Council is a move firmly opposed by Islamabad. She termed the creation of new permanent seats "the antithesis of principles enshrined in the UN Charter," while addressing the General Assembly session on Security Council Reforms. "Pakistan supports expansion of non-permanent seats in the Security Council to make it more democratic, accountable, transparent and effective," the Dawn quoted Lodhi as saying. She further said that due to a handful of states seeking to "promote a self arrogated right to an unequal status" has created a stalemate in the Security Council reform process. Conveying Pakistan's stance Lodhi said that, "Adding more permanent seats to Security Council will only serve to satisfy the hunger for power and privilege of a few and not address issue of representation." Pakistan had earlier in June questioned that how could Security Council enhance its representativeness and effectiveness by adding new permanent seats to the 15-member body. The Pakistan envoy asserted that no convincing answer has ever been given to how the move would make the Security Council more representative and added that the new permanent members would in fact have the opposite effect.(ANI)