HAMILTON, Canada

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday criticized the UN Security Council for failing to uphold its responsibilities, warning that "selective implementation" of its resolutions has eroded its global standing.

"Peaceful settlement of disputes is not just a moral or legal imperative; it is a strategic necessity," Dar, who is also the deputy prime minister, told a council debate on "promoting international peace and security through multilateralism and peaceful settlement of disputes," where a resolution submitted by Pakistan on the issue was unanimously adopted.

Pakistan is also the chair of the UN Security Council for the month of July.

Noting that the UN Charter provides "comprehensive tools" for settling disputes, Dar stressed that "these mechanisms remain underutilized or selectively applied."

"The Security Council has primary responsibility in this regard. Yet, we continue to witness the persistence, and proliferation of unresolved conflicts - many of which remain on the council’s agenda for decades," he said, stressing that "selective implementation of council resolutions, double standards, and the politicization of humanitarian principles have eroded its credibility and effectiveness."

"The ongoing tragedies in Palestine and the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir are vivid examples of this malaise," he added.

Dar called for a return to principled multilateralism and diplomacy, stressing that "durable peace is not forged through power projection or unilateralism, but through dialogue, mutual respect and inclusive diplomacy."

Highlighting several global conflicts, Dar said the international system’s failure to uphold obligations has resulted in “untold human sufferings, displaced millions and undermined our collective faith in the international system's ability to deliver justice and peace.”

He reiterated Pakistan's call for "an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza," and said Jammu and Kashmir remains "an internationally recognized disputed territory," the resolution of which must reflect the will of the Kashmiri people.

Dar also proposed revitalizing the UN system by ensuring equal treatment of all conflicts, strengthening the secretary-general's mediation capacity, and enhancing regional partnerships in line with UN Charter.

"It is time to return to the spirit of San Francisco," he said, "to make the UN a platform that delivers justice, upholds international law, and promotes sustainable peace."