President Zardari confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz on UN chief Guterres

President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday conferred the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civil honours, on United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, recognising his international service, his leadership of the world body and his contribution to global peace and development.

This is the first time Pakistan has given the award to a UN Secretary-General.

The investiture ceremony took place at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, parliamentarians and members of the diplomatic corps attended.

Before the ceremony, Zardari met Guterres. He praised the UN chief’s push for dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful settlement of disputes, and his attention to the concerns of developing countries.

The president restated Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. He thanked Guterres for consistently backing Palestinian statehood and a two-state solution.

On South Asia, Zardari said lasting peace needs sustained dialogue between Pakistan and India as equal neighbours. He said this must include a settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

He also said the Indus Waters Treaty is a binding international agreement and cannot be suspended or held in abeyance by one side.

Water must not be turned into a weapon or a tool of political pressure, he added. Pakistan’s rights under the treaty have been upheld by international courts and must be respected.

Zardari said Pakistan’s diplomacy, including the Islamabad Talks, has aimed at de-escalation, dialogue and saving lives. He said Pakistan is ready to help facilitate diplomacy wherever it can, and that dialogue is the only way to resolve regional disputes.

On terrorism, he said Pakistan has made huge sacrifices in the global fight against it and still faces attacks from groups based in Afghanistan. Pakistan has shared evidence of outside support for proxies targeting the country, he said. He insisted that Afghan soil must not be used against Pakistan or any other state.

The president noted that more than 270,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 UN missions worldwide.

He backed Guterres’s UN80 reform initiative but said reforms must protect the interests of developing countries. He hoped the next Secretary-General would continue the reform process.

On the Security Council, Zardari said Pakistan wants a more democratic body. It opposes adding unelected members and favours more elected, non-permanent seats with fair geographical representation.

He described climate change as an existential threat for vulnerable countries such as Pakistan and called for stronger global action on mitigation, adaptation and climate finance.

Zardari also thanked Guterres for standing with Pakistan after the 2022 floods. Guterres had visited the affected areas and helped mobilise international aid through the Geneva pledging conference. The president said 2.1 million climate-resilient homes had since been built, with ownership given to women in the beneficiary households.

In his remarks, Guterres praised Pakistan for sheltering millions of refugees and for its resilience against terrorism. “I know the real Pakistan because I have seen the real Pakistan,” he said.

UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and acting Resident Coordinator Pernille Ironside accompanied Guterres. Senators Sherry Rehman and Saleem Mandviwalla and former federal minister Naveed Qamar were also present.