Pak says India played big role in its bid for UNSC seat

KARACHI: India played a big role in supporting Pakistan's successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council, Islamabad's envoy to the world body Abdullah Hussain Haroon said here today.

Many of the countries that Pakistan had considered as friends were no longer its friends, but India "supported us in becoming a non-permanent member of the 15-member Security Council," Haroon told reporters at the Karachi airport.

Pakistan, which was challenged by Kyrgyzstan, was backed by 129 of the 193 member states in the UN General Assembly. Kyrgyzstan polled 55 votes.

Pakistan will replace Lebanon, which currently occupies the Asian seat, on January 1, 2012, for a two-year term.

Haroon said that Pakistan had worked very hard in the past six months to win votes for the prestigious seat.

"I think we should not be discouraged by the reaction by some of the nations in the UN because I can say the world wants Pakistan to play its positive role in the global scenario," he said.

Pakistan has been on the Council six times earlier -- 1952-53, 1968-69, 1976-77, 1983-84, 1993-94 and 2003-04. It's new term would overlap with India -- which began its two-year tenure on January 1 this year -- for the fourth time.

Pakistan and India had earlier shared terms on the Security Council in 1968, 1977 and 1984.

Haroon said Pakistan was committed to multilateralism and promoting principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter.

To a question on US drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas, he said he could only take up the issue if the government authorised him to do so. "But we should not be scared of these attacks." he added.