United Nations (TDI): Amid record high Killings of humanitarian personnel in conflict zones around the globe, Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to push for sanctions and legal action against violators.
“Impunity must end,” Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the 15-member UNSC during a debate on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.
He said that impunity is not just a failure of justice but a license for repetition.
“Timely, independent and impartial investigations must hold perpetrators accountable.”
In this regard, he urged the creation of a “global implementation dashboard,” saying it should provide real-time public tracking of violations, investigations and their outcomes “for everyone to see and follow”.
Pakistan’s envoy said that the escalating attacks on humanitarian personnel are not just isolated incidents, they reflect a growing disregard for international norms.
“It is unacceptable that those who work to provide “dignity amidst displacement” are met “not with appreciation, but with gunfire”.
According to the Aid Worker Security Database, 379 humanitarian personnel were killed last year, making it the deadliest year on record.
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While there are challenges in different situations such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Haiti, Lebanon and Yemen, Iftikhar said, nowhere is this crisis more evident than in Gaza, where 399 humanitarian workers, including 408 humanitarian workers, including 284 UNRWA personnel, have been killed since the October 23 Israeli war in the enclave.
“We are failing those who put their lives in danger and act as a lifeline to serve others,” he added.
UNSC Resolution 2730, he said, unequivocally reaffirmed that humanitarian personnel must be protected in accordance with international law, highlighting that the promise of protection must be supported by action.
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Pakistan also supports the call for mandatory integration of safety provisions into all United Nations mission mandates, particularly during peacekeeping drawdowns and transitions.
