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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week assured United Nations Secretary General António Guterres of Islamabad’s “strong commitment” to work for peaceful resolution to conflicts as president of the UN Security Council, the Pakistani foreign office said. 

Pakistan assumed the presidency of the Security Council for July 2025 earlier this month. Islamabad has said it is mindful of the multiple challenges to international peace and security across the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and other regions in today’s world.

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, received a telephone call from Guterres on Sunday night, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement. 

 “As Pakistan holds the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July, the DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to international peace and security, and to the pacific settlement of disputes,” the foreign office said.

“He also highlighted the Signature Events being convened by Pakistan during its Presidency to advance these objectives.”

The statement said both leaders also looked forward to engaging in New York next week during activities related to Pakistan’s presidency of the UN Security Council. 

“The DPM/FM further reiterated Pakistan’s continued support in facilitating the United Nations and its personnel in the effective discharge of their mandate,” the statement added. 

Pakistan assumed the presidency of the UNSC at a critical time, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine refusing to let up. Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023, in response to Hamas’ lightning attack. In June, it engaged in a conflict with Iran after attacking its nuclear facilities and military leadership. 

Pakistan has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military actions against Palestine, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries since the 2023 conflict began. Islamabad has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and stated that lasting peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal government has decided to convert the Frontier Constabulary (FC) paramilitary force into a nationwide federal unit empowered to operate across the country, state-run media reported this week. 

According to the FC’s website, the paramilitary force’s primary function is to police the border between the settled areas of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and its tribal areas against incursions and criminal gangs operating from across the border.

The FC is governed under the Frontier Constabulary Act, 1915 and the North-West Frontier Constabulary Rules, 1958. The maintenance, superintendence, administration and control of the force lies with the federal government, which is also empowered to deploy the FC in any part of Pakistan for “better protection and administration” of those areas, as per its website. 

“The federal government has decided to transform the Frontier Constabulary (FC) into a nationwide federal force,” the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) said in a report on Sunday.

“According to reliable sources, the revamped force will operate under the new name ‘Federal Constabulary’ and will be empowered to function across all provinces, including Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.”

The report said that the force will be converted through amendments to the Frontier Constabulary Act of 1915, which are expected to receive approval from the federal cabinet. Following the cabinet’s endorsement, a presidential ordinance will be issued to extend the FC’s jurisdiction across the entire country.

The state media said that as part of the force’s reorganization, recruitment for the new Federal Constabulary unit will be carried out nationwide, with offices established across the country.

“The force will be commanded by officers from the Police Service of Pakistan, according to insiders familiar with the restructuring plan,” the report added. 

The PTV report said security experts view this step as part of broader efforts to centralize and enhance Pakistan’s internal security infrastructure.

“The establishment of the Federal Constabulary is expected to play a crucial role in maintaining law and order and strengthening national peace and security mechanisms,” it said. 

The development takes place as Pakistan faces surging militant attacks in its KP and Balochistan provinces that border Afghanistan and Iran. Islamabad has grappled with a surge in militant attacks in KP since a fragile truce between Pakistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down in November 2022. 

The TTP’s militants have carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistan’s security forces and civilians since 2007 in a bid to impose their strict version of Islam across the country. 

Pakistan blames the Afghan government for not taking action against TTP militants, which it alleges operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Kabul denies the allegations and says it does not allow militants to use its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan.