'Sad story of our own foreign policy collapse': Congress after Pak set to chair UNSC committee

New Delhi: With Pakistan set to chair a key committee of the UN Security Council and be the vice-chair of another panel of the world body, the Congress on Thursday described the development as the sad story of "our own foreign policy collapse" but questioned how the global community can continue to legitimise Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism. Pakistan will chair the Taliban Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council for 2025 and will be vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the 15-nation UN body. Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the IMF gave USD 1 billion to Pakistan on May 9 during Operation Sindoor. "World Bank decides to give USD 40 billion to Pakistan soon after Operation Sindoor. ADB gave USD 800 million to Pakistan on June 3, soon after Operation Sindoor," he said on X.

And on June 4, Pakistan gets elected as Chairman of the UNSC Taliban Sanctions Committee and Vice Chairman of the UNSC Counter Terrorism Committee, he pointed out. "Of course, this is the sad story of our own foreign policy collapse, but how can the global community allow this continuous legitimisation of sponsorship of terrorism by Pakistan?" Khera said. Pakistan will chair the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee that imposes an assets freeze, a travel ban and an arms embargo on individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan. Guyana and Russia will be vice-chairs of the Taliban sanctions committee. Pakistan will also be co-chair of the Informal Working Groups on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions and on the General UNSC Sanctions Issues. Pakistan is a non-permanent member of the 15-nation Security Council for the 2025-26 term. The sanctions committees of the Council comprise all 15 members of the Security Council and make their decisions by consensus. India was Chair of the UNSC Counter-terrorism Committee for 2022 during its 2021-22 tenure in the Council as a non-permanent member. India has consistently reminded the international community that Pakistan is host to the world's largest number of UN-proscribed terrorists and entities. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan's Abbottabad for years and was killed in an operation by the US Navy Seals in May 2011. China, France, Russia, the UK and the US are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, while Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia are currently in the Council as non-permanent members.