Maleeha Lodhi takes charge as permanent representative to UN

First female envoy to UN vows to ‘protect and defend’ country’s vital interests

Assuming charge as Pakistan’s first female ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Dr Maleeha Lodhi vowed on Thursday to “protect and defend” her country’s vital interests and world body.

“It is a great honour and privilege to represent Pakistan at such a critical moment for the country and at a time when the world is undergoing fundamental changes,” she said after her arrival in New York.

She was adamant that while some of the changes posed new challenges, others would offer opportunities. Responding to a question, regarding her role in the UN, the envoy said “first and foremost to protect and promote Pakistan’s vital national interests and ensure that the country’s policies and views on critical issues are clearly articulated and fully understood.”

Lodhi’s remarks suggest her keenness to change the narrative about Pakistan and focusing on how efficiently Pakistan is addressing its many challenges.

She elaborated on Pakistan’s national priorities and said “the establishment of internal peace and stability is the overriding priority, which entails a robust law enforcement campaign that is underway, aimed at defeating militancy and countering violent extremism”. She added that Pakistani diplomats needed to build a better international understanding of this campaign as well as support for these efforts.

Lodhi said that stabilisation of Afghanistan and to secure Pakistan’s western border was also a top national priority. To that end, she said, Pakistan is actively engaged in efforts to help the Afghan government in its objective to initiate an intra-Afghan dialogue that can eventually secure durable peace.

Another key priority for Pakistan is to promote peace and stability in South Asia. This, she said, involves addressing the issue of Kashmir and the present fraught border situation with India.

Lodhi said that 2015 would be an important year at the UN as it would be marking its 70th anniversary of its founding. There will be a host of issues to address and many events to participate in.