With famine looming, aid workers arbitrarily detained, and a humanitarian collapse accelerating, Pakistan has urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take urgent and united action to halt hostilities in Yemen.
Speaking at a UNSC briefing, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Usman Jadoon, warned that escalating violence between Israel and Houthi rebels, driven by wider regional turmoil and disregard for international law, threatens to destabilize the Middle East.
“The Yemeni people continue to suffer from the devastating consequences of protracted conflict, political paralysis, economic collapse, and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises,” Jadoon said, pointing to millions displaced, destroyed infrastructure, and collapsing essential services.
Four Core Concerns
Jadoon outlined Pakistan’s position under four priorities:
- End Hostilities: He condemned the cycle of violence between Houthis and Israel, urging restraint, civilian protection, and immediate de-escalation. International media reported that Israeli airstrikes last week on Sanaa and Al-Jawf killed at least 35 people. The strikes followed Israel’s September 9 targeting of Hamas leaders in Doha, which sparked widespread outrage across the Muslim world.
- Release of UN Staff: Jadoon strongly denounced the Houthis’ detention of 21 UN personnel since August 31, their raids on United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP) offices, and the seizure of UN property, calling them “blatant violations of international law” that cripple aid delivery. He demanded the unconditional release of all detained UN, Non Government Organisations (NGO), and diplomatic personnel.
- Humanitarian Emergency: Highlighting that two-thirds of Yemen’s population needs assistance, Jadoon urged global donors to act before the crisis becomes irreversible. Rising food insecurity, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks, he warned, risk pushing Yemen into total despair.
- Political Settlement: Stressing the need for a “viable pathway” to peace, he urged all parties to break the stalemate with genuine political will, building on the UN’s December 2023 roadmap and the Special Envoy’s mediation efforts.
Condemnation of Israeli Strikes
Jadoon condemned Israeli attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Yemen, saying they “cannot be justified under any pretext.” His statement came as Israel ordered an evacuation of Yemen’s Red Sea port of Al Hudaydah ahead of anticipated strikes. Last month, an Israeli air raid on Sanaa killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several ministers.
Pakistan’s Role and Broader Appeal
Underscoring Pakistan’s long-standing commitment to UN peacekeeping, over 200,000 personnel since the 1960s, with 4,200 still deployed, Jadoon said the crisis in Yemen demanded the same collective resolve.
“Security Council unity is essential to end the suffering of the Yemeni people,” he concluded. “This Council must speak with one voice to bring peace and stability to Yemen and the wider Middle East.”
Pakistan reaffirmed its solidarity with Yemen, calling the crisis a test of the international community’s resolve, whether to allow the conflict to become permanent or to act decisively to restore peace.
