As Israel continues to bombard Gaza, Pakistan calls for ‘clarification of rule of law’

Speaking at the Sixth Committee meeting on Friday, Pakistan's envoy to the UN Munir Akram said actions such as the violations of international humanitarian laws as well as rights of the people under foreign occupation, dismantling of the treaties for arm control and disarmament, violence and discrimination against religions and targeted assassinations in third countries are breaches of rule of law.

It was ironic that the countries that are complicit in the erosion of international law had the audacity to advocate for adherence to the “rule of law,” which fits their description and interpretation, he said, according to a statement shared by the Pakistani mission in New York.

Akram highlighted the urgent need to clarify the "rule of law" in international governance, and emphasized the critical relationship between national and international law and the necessity of ensuring that existing laws are properly observed and applied.

He said that key international instruments such as the UN Charter, Geneva Conventions, disarmament treaties, and human rights conventions form the backbone of the rule of law.

The Pakistani envoy urged the legal committee to task the International Law Commission with clarifying the concept of the rule of law and suggested seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, where Israel faces allegations of genocide for its actions in Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza since a cross-border incursion by Hamas last October. The military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.