Key United Nations Security Council committees focused on counterterrorism remain without chairs midway through the year, as Pakistan continues to block appointments in a bid to secure leadership of at least one of the panels.
According to diplomatic sources, Western nations on the Council have opposed Pakistan&rsquo;s attempt to head any of the three committees: the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee (1267), and the Taliban Sanctions Committee (1988). Their opposition stems from what they call a clear conflict of interest, given Pakistan's alleged ties to terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, as well as its complex relationship with the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan.
In the consensus-driven environment of the Security Council, Pakistan &mdash; currently an elected member &mdash; has leveraged procedural rules to stall the appointments. The matter is being discussed informally among Council members.
Evangelos Sekeris, Greece&rsquo;s Permanent Representative and the Council President in May, acknowledged the impasse, saying efforts are ongoing to find a resolution. Until permanent chairs are appointed, the country holding the rotating presidency of the Council temporarily oversees the committees.
If no resolution is reached, Pakistan is set to assume the rotating presidency in July and would, by default, lead the terrorism-related panels &mdash; a prospect raising concerns among several Council members.
Previously, India held the chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee from 2020 to 2022. During its tenure, Indian Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj organized a landmark meeting in Mumbai, at one of the sites of the 26/11 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists &mdash; a move that Pakistan strongly opposed and has since used to argue for parity.
Pakistan&rsquo;s request to chair the 1267 Committee, which sanctions affiliates of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, is seen as untenable by many, as several individuals and groups sanctioned under this framework are based in Pakistan.
Islamabad is now pushing to lead the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee, believing it could use that position to influence developments in Afghanistan. Sources say Pakistan may seek to either tighten or ease sanctions depending on its strategic interests, especially as tensions persist between Islamabad and the Taliban.
Still, gaining that leadership role remains uncertain, with widespread skepticism from Council members due to Pakistan&rsquo;s perceived conflicts and geopolitical motivations.

UN terror committees remain leaderless as Pakistan pushes for chair amid global opposition

Pakistan Blocks UN Terror Panel Leadership Picks

UN terror committees remain leaderless as Pakistan pushes for chair amid global opposition

June 3, 2025 | 15:46 IST