NEW YORK, 10 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan has urged the United Nations to take steps to prevent an arms race in the region, emphasizing the need for negotiations on all outstanding issues, including Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, while reaffirming its commitment to maintaining necessary defence capabilities. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Tahir Hussain Andrabi, said that the scope of wars around the world was expanding, international law was weakening, and restraint was increasingly being abandoned. He called for de-escalation in the Middle East, noting that mediation between Iran and the United States had led to a ceasefire and the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Andrabi said the Mecca defence agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was defensive in nature and consistent with the United Nations Charter. Highlighting security challenges in South Asia, he said the region was facing instability due to India’s aggressive military doctrine and large-scale military expansion. He stressed that Pakistan did not seek an arms race but would maintain its defence capabilities in accordance with its security needs. The Pakistani envoy also cautioned against the assumption that a war could be kept under control in a region where nuclear capabilities existed. Reiterating Pakistan’s position on regional disputes, Andrabi called for meaningful negotiations on all outstanding issues, particularly Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, stressing the importance of dialogue and restraint in promoting regional peace and stability.