Former Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has called for comprehensive reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), arguing that its current structure no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical realities and the interests of the wider international community.
Speaking to Asia One, Chaudhry said the composition of the Security Council has remained largely unchanged since 1965 despite the United Nations expanding to 193 member states. He noted that the existing framework fails to adequately represent large parts of the developing world and requires significant restructuring to remain relevant and effective.
“The Security Council must evolve to reflect the realities of the 21st century,” Chaudhry said, emphasizing that reform discussions should focus on increasing representation rather than consolidating power among a handful of states.
The former diplomat said the principal disagreement in ongoing reform negotiations revolves around whether the Council should add more elected, non-permanent members or create new permanent seats. He reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) model, which advocates expanding the number of rotating elected seats instead of granting additional permanent memberships.
According to Chaudhry, increasing elected seats would provide greater opportunities for underrepresented regions, particularly Africa and Latin America, to participate in global decision-making processes.
He argued that permanent membership is inherently undemocratic and warned that creating new permanent seats would further entrench inequalities within the UN system. Pakistan, he said, opposes proposals to grant permanent seats to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan.
Chaudhry also raised concerns about the expansion of veto powers, saying that additional permanent members could further complicate decision-making within the Security Council. He pointed to historical examples of Cold War-era deadlock and noted that the increasing use of vetoes in recent years has already undermined the Council’s effectiveness.
Addressing India’s candidacy for permanent membership, Chaudhry said Pakistan believes a country that has not implemented UN Security Council resolutions, particularly those related to Jammu and Kashmir, should not be elevated to permanent-member status.
The debate over Security Council reform has intensified in recent years as member states seek a more representative and effective global governance structure capable of addressing modern security challenges. However, significant differences remain over the shape and scope of any future reforms.
