KARACHI: Pakistan was elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026-2028 term on Tuesday, Dawn.com reported.

Thirteen other countries were also elected for the term beginning on Jan 1. They are India, Iraq, Italy, Angola, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Mauritius, Slovenia, South Africa, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar thanked all the member states which supported Pakistan’s candidature. “My profound gratitude to all UN member states for their support,” Ishaq Dar said on X. “Pakistan’s election is a recognition of its strong credentials and contribution in strengthening the global human rights framework.”

Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working with the international community on the basis of “tolerance, respect, universality, consensus-building, and engagement”.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his message, expressed happiness over the development, saying it reflected Pakistan’s “effective and active role” at the United Nations.

“We reaffirm Pakistan’s strong commitment to playing an active role in the council for the promotion and protection of human rights across the globe.”

Agencies add: The council is the UN’s main organ for defending human rights through a 47-seat body headquartered in Geneva. Members serve three-year terms, with seats renewed partially every year.

They are allocated by major regions of the world, and each region in general selects its own candidates, which are then usually approved by the General Assembly.

On Tuesday, 14 countries were up for election and they all went through in a secret ballot by the assembly.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2025