Daily Times

The development should have been a front-page story in our part of the world given its importance as an international success of Pakistan. Sadly, not many Pakistanis know that the day when the nation was celebrating cricketing success, the same day, the country successfully got four resolutions passed on regional disarmament at the United Nations First Committee. These resolutions represent Pakistan’s dedication to peace and stability, both regionally and globally. The support from member states for three of these resolutions was particularly strong. Pakistan also succeeded in getting approval for a resolution on confidence-building measures in a regional context and another on controlling conventional weapons on regional and sub-regional levels.

The United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee, also known as the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), is one of the six main committees of the General Assembly. The committee passed one key resolution that calls for international efforts to protect non-nuclear states from the threat or use of nuclear weapons. Pakistan’s resolutions echo its long-standing stance against the arms race, especially in nuclear and conventional weapons. While Pakistan has historically opposed this arms race, it has had to maintain robust defence measures due to security concerns, mainly stemming from tensions with India.

Although Pakistan’s resolutions have been passed, challenges remain. Similar past resolutions and agreements have failed to curb arms production and trade effectively. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, for example, was designed to limit nuclear weapon development but has been undermined by powerful nations. These countries continue to produce and even sell nuclear arms, often to countries like India and Israel, which also destabilise regional peace.

Another critical treaty, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), also faces similar issues. Its provisions for limiting nuclear arms and preventing their spread are often ignored by powerful countries, further fuelling global arms competition. Without adherence from these powerful nations, these treaties remain largely ineffective.

For true progress, it is not enough for us to celebrate the UN’s success or for diplomats to merely praise Pakistan’s initiatives on regional disarmament and confidence-building. Concrete actions are needed. These resolutions must be implemented with real commitment, otherwise, they will add to the piles of already passed meaningless resolutions. *