UN disarmament panel passes Pakistan-led resolutions on arms control, nuclear security

A United Nations logo is seen on a glass door in the Assembly Building at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on September 18, 2015. (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 08 November 2025
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UN disarmament panel passes Pakistan-led resolutions on arms control, nuclear security

  • Two other Pakistani resolutions stress confidence-building measures, security assurances to non-nuclear states
  • Move follows brief but intense May conflict between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India that left around 70 dead

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security adopted four resolutions sponsored by Pakistan on Saturday, including measures on regional disarmament, confidence-building and nuclear security assurances, said an official statement.

The adoption comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s recent conflict with India, during which the two nuclear-armed states fought a brief but intense war in May that killed around 70 people on both sides and raised global concerns about escalation in the region.

Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said in a statement that the committee unanimously adopted two of its resolutions entitled “Regional disarmament” and “Confidence-building measures in the regional and sub-regional contexts.”

The other two resolutions entitled “Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non‑nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons” and “Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels” were adopted with an overwhelming majority of the member states.

“Pakistan has, for decades, led initiatives in the United Nations to advance priority issues of nuclear disarmament, regional disarmament, conventional arms control and confidence-building measures,” the statement said.

“The adoption of these resolutions reaffirms the importance of the international community’s priority on ‘negative security assurances’ as well as embracing regional approaches to disarmament and arms control,” it added, referring to pledges made by nuclear-armed states not to use or threaten nuclear weapons against non-nuclear countries.

Pakistan’s call for stronger confidence-building measures comes months after its own conflict with India, which prompted one of its top military commanders, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, to warn that the recent hostilities had increased the risk of future escalation.

He said during an interview in Singapore that international mediation might prove difficult next time, highlighting the absence of crisis management mechanisms between the two countries.

Procedurally, First Committee resolutions are forwarded to the full UN General Assembly for formal adoption in the coming sessions.


Pakistan unveils world’s ‘largest’ Markhor sculpture in Kaghan Valley

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Pakistan unveils world’s ‘largest’ Markhor sculpture in Kaghan Valley

  • Massive structure, standing 105 feet high and 38 feet wide, took five years to complete
  • Authorities aim to draw tourists to mountainous north, raise awareness about species

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has unveiled the world’s “largest” sculpture of the Markhor, the country’s national animal, in the scenic Kaghan Valley, Radio Pakistan reported on Friday, highlighting cultural pride, wildlife heritage and the country’s growing focus on tourism. 

By immortalizing the Markhor in stone, authorities aim to draw tourists to the mountainous north and raise awareness about the species, a symbol of national identity and a conservation-success story.

“The massive structure, standing 105 feet high and 38 feet wide, took five years to complete,” Radio Pakistan reported. “The Kaghan Valley, known for its breath-taking landscapes, now hosts this record-breaking tribute, attracting visitors from across the country and beyond.”

The Markhor, a wild mountain goat native to the high-altitude regions of northern Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has distinctive corkscrew-shaped horns and remarkable agility on rocky terrain. 

Once heavily threatened by overhunting and habitat loss, the Markhor’s fortunes have rebounded in recent decades thanks to conservation efforts and community protection programs. Its increasing population has led to its conservation status being downgraded from “Endangered” to “Near Threatened.” 

Local tourism officials say the new sculpture is expected to draw significant numbers of visitors to Kaghan Valley, giving a boost to local economies while reinforcing interest in wildlife conservation and Pakistan’s natural heritage.