Islamabad (GNP): President Asif Ali Zardari has bestowed the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, among Pakistan’s most prestigious civil honours, on UN Secretary-General António Guterres, citing his distinguished international service, his stewardship of the United Nations and his contribution to world peace and development.
Pakistan has never before given this award to a UN Secretary-General. It was presented this evening at a special investiture ceremony in Islamabad, attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, federal cabinet members, lawmakers and diplomats.
Before the ceremony, Zardari met Guterres and restated Pakistan’s dedication to peace and stability in South Asia. He said lasting peace depends on continued dialogue between Pakistan and India as equal neighbours, and on settling all unresolved disputes, above all Jammu and Kashmir, in line with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
He also set out Pakistan’s view that the Indus Waters Treaty is a binding international accord that neither side may suspend or put in abeyance on its own. Water, he said, must never become a weapon or a tool of political pressure, and Pakistan’s treaty-based water rights, which international courts have recognised, must be honoured.
On regional diplomacy, Zardari said Pakistan’s efforts, including the Islamabad Talks, were driven by the need to calm tensions, promote dialogue and protect lives. Pakistan, he said, stands ready to help facilitate diplomacy wherever useful, as there is no substitute for dialogue in resolving regional disputes.
He affirmed Pakistan’s steady backing for the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination. He thanked Guterres for his consistent support for Palestinian statehood and a two-state solution, and said Pakistan would keep backing the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions.
Zardari said Pakistan continues to suffer attacks from militant groups based on Afghan soil, and that it has presented evidence of outside backing for terrorist proxies targeting the country. Afghan territory, he insisted, must not be used against Pakistan or any other state. He added that Pakistan remains committed to dialogue and regional cooperation while protecting its people and territory in line with international law.
The President drew attention to Pakistan’s long record in UN peacekeeping, noting that more than 270,000 Pakistani personnel have served across 48 missions worldwide, and he confirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to peacekeeping as a key tool for international peace and security.
He praised Guterres’s leadership of the UN80 Initiative and backed efforts to make the organisation more efficient, coherent and effective. Reform, he said, should protect developing countries’ interests, speed up sustainable development and strengthen conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. On climate change, he called for stronger global action on mitigation, adaptation and climate finance.
Zardari also said Pakistan favours a more democratic Security Council. It opposes adding or enlarging unelected membership and supports wider representation through elected non-permanent seats distributed fairly across regions.
The President thanked Guterres for his personal solidarity after the devastating 2022 floods, including his trip to affected areas and his work to rally international aid and support the Geneva pledging process.
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Guterres acknowledged Pakistan’s hospitality in sheltering millions of refugees, and said he had seen first-hand the country’s solidarity and resilience in the face of terrorism.
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.
