Islamabad (GNP): Marking the International Day of Peace, Pakistan reaffirmed that lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue, diplomacy, justice, and full adherence to international law and the principles of the UN Charter. This year’s theme, “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” highlights that peace demands continuous effort at every level.
Pakistan reiterated its firm commitment to global peace and security and to a strong, effective, and inclusive multilateral system anchored by the United Nations. The country expressed support for peaceful dispute resolution and a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention grounded in dialogue, diplomacy, and collective action.
For decades, Pakistani peacekeepers have served in UN missions worldwide, helping protect civilians, support conflict-affected communities, and create the conditions necessary for peace to take hold — often under difficult and dangerous circumstances. Pakistan paid tribute to those who have lost their lives in this service and reaffirmed its continued support for UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.
The statement noted that Pakistan’s diplomatic role in helping de-escalate tensions between Iran and the United States has received international recognition, with the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding paving the way toward de-escalation and negotiated settlement, followed by high-level talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, focused on implementation. Pakistan said it remains engaged in sustaining this dialogue toward lasting regional and global peace.
It also highlighted the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2788 — sponsored by Pakistan during its Security Council presidency last year — as a meaningful reaffirmation of the Council’s commitment to strengthening peaceful dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Pakistan maintained that durable peace cannot exist where the right to self-determination is denied and Security Council resolutions go unimplemented, citing ongoing foreign occupation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the Occupied Palestinian Territory as examples.
On this Day of Peace, Pakistan called on the international community to uphold the UN Charter, respect international law, and pursue just and lasting resolutions to disputes through peaceful means, while urging continued support for de-escalation in West Asia and beyond. Pakistan reaffirmed its readiness to serve as a trusted partner in this collective pursuit of a more peaceful and prosperous world.
In his message marking the occasion, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif renewed Pakistan’s commitment, alongside the broader international community, to peaceful coexistence, global stability, equal development opportunities, and justice and fairness.
He expressed pride in Pakistan’s constructive contributions to regional and international peace, citing the country’s sustained efforts toward conflict resolution, de-escalation, and the promotion of global peace, as well as its long-standing role as a leading contributor to UN peacekeeping missions — a source of significant national pride.
Sharif noted that this year’s theme underscores that peace extends beyond the mere absence of armed conflict, manifesting instead through economic and social wellbeing, protection of fundamental rights, dignity, equal opportunity, and inclusion at both global and national levels.
He stressed that a fair, non-discriminatory social order — free from distinctions based on race or color — is essential to lasting peace, and that such conditions can only be achieved by collectively confronting hatred, violence, and prejudice at both individual and societal levels.
The Prime Minister pointed to Islamic teachings and Pakistan’s Constitution as providing a strong foundation for social peace through the protection of human dignity and fundamental rights, noting that government policy aims to ensure equal protection for all citizens — particularly women, children, minorities, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
He highlighted the National Action Plan for Human Rights 2026 as a comprehensive framework for protecting human rights and promoting social harmony, encompassing measures to foster interfaith tolerance, combat hate speech and discrimination, strengthen protections for minorities and vulnerable populations, improve access to justice, and enhance institutional accountability.
Sharif emphasized that lasting peace depends on collective social awareness and individual understanding, making it essential to nurture these values through education — particularly by promoting civic responsibility, tolerance, and respect for diversity within universities. He noted that incorporating human rights and peace education into the National Action Plan reflects the government’s commitment to instilling respect, empathy, and peaceful coexistence in future generations.
He also stressed the importance of protecting victims of rights violations and ensuring timely institutional responses to strengthen public trust in the state.
The Prime Minister called on all citizens to help combat hatred, intolerance, and discrimination while promoting empathy, dialogue, and mutual respect, describing the cultivation of a culture of peace as a shared responsibility among government institutions, civil society, religious leaders, educators, media, communities, and families alike.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
