Speaking at a debate in the UN General Assembly on Monday, Pakistani delegate Gul Qaiser Sarwani said the veto gave the five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom — disproportionate influence across the UN system.
“The misuse of the veto undermines the Security Council’s effectiveness and the credibility of the UN,” Sarwani said, warning that the current system was contributing to institutional paralysis.
The debate focused on proposals to reform the Security Council and strengthen its ability to fulfil its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.
The General Assembly convened the session under Resolution 76/262, adopted in April 2022. The resolution requires the Assembly to meet within 10 working days whenever a veto is cast in the Security Council.
Sarwani, a counsellor and political coordinator at Pakistan’s UN mission, also opposed proposals to add new permanent members to the Council. India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have long campaigned for permanent seats.
He argued that expanding permanent membership and extending veto powers would deepen existing inequalities, preserve historical privileges and create new centres of power, increasing the risk of further deadlock.
Pakistan is part of the Italy-led Uniting for Consensus group, which opposes adding new individual permanent members to an expanded Security Council.
Sarwani said the veto should either be abolished or significantly restricted, rather than extended to additional countries. He added that any efforts to limit its use must comply with the UN Charter.
Pakistan also proposed strengthening the role of elected Security Council members through broader representation and changes to decision-making requirements. According to Sarwani, such measures could make the Council more democratic and provide a stronger check on the veto power.
Opening the meeting, UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh said the veto initiative had become an established mechanism for transparency, accountability and collective responsibility after 21 meetings.
He welcomed the Security Council’s submission of special reports to the General Assembly and the participation of permanent members in debates on the use of the veto.
Rahman said the two UN bodies needed to maintain a balance and fulfil their separate but complementary responsibilities under the UN Charter.
He warned that when the Security Council failed to act decisively, the consequences were felt most severely by people affected by conflict, insecurity and humanitarian crises.
Rahman expressed hope that Council members would reach a consensus to take effective action in support of peace, reducing the need for future veto-related debates.
He also urged delegates to ensure that discussions on the veto remained meaningful rather than repetitive, emphasising that its use should not bring dialogue and diplomacy to an end.
During the debate, representatives from various countries highlighted the risks posed by the Security Council’s veto system and its consequences for conflicts and crises around the world.
