By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan voiced profound concern on Monday over the escalating crisis in Venezuela, warning that the United States’ military operation to capture President Nicolás Maduro risked undermining international law and fueling long-term instability, as the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting to address the fallout from the intervention.
The session, the first of the year with Somalia presiding, came just hours before Maduro was set to appear in a Manhattan federal court on drug charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy. Diplomats from around the world sharply debated the legality and implications of the American action, which has drawn widespread condemnation and plunged the oil-rich nation into uncertainty.
Pakistan’s acting permanent representative, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, told the Council that at a time of multiple global crises, instability in the region “does not augur well for regional and international peace and security.” He invoked the United Nations Charter’s mandates for states to refrain from the threat or use of force against territorial integrity or political independence, and to uphold sovereign equality, non-interference and peaceful dispute settlement.
Unilateral military action, Jadoon said, contravened these “sacrosanct principles” as well as the doctrine of sovereign immunity, setting dangerous precedents that could erode the global legal framework. Such moves, he cautioned, fuel instability that “as history has shown time and again, can lead to unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes for years to come.”
Calling for de-escalation, the Pakistani envoy emphasised that “the path forward must be one of dialogue and diplomacy,” with durable solutions achievable only through peaceful means and full respect for the will of the Venezuelan people, free from external interference. He expressed hope that Latin America and the Caribbean, recognised as a ‘Zone of Peace,’ would remain free from conflict and continue toward enhanced regional cooperation and prosperity.
Pakistan urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from actions that could exacerbate the situation, and engage in dialogue, including through sincere offers of mediation. Jadoon noted that the offices of the secretary-general remained available for that purpose. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Council’s role in diffusing tensions and upholding international law. “Peace and stability of Venezuela and the welfare and prosperity of its people, with full ownership, must be the overriding objective of all efforts,” he said.
The Security Council meeting amplified global divisions over the crisis, which began with Mr. Maduro’s deposition and capture more than 48 hours earlier. In Caracas, top officials in his government remained in charge, labeling the detentions a kidnapping and demanding his return, while the presidential palace was guarded by armed civilians and military personnel. A tense calm held in the capital, with many businesses and churches closed, and residents lining up outside open stores, according to reports.
The intervention has provoked outrage across Latin America, with leaders decrying it as a violation of sovereignty. In Pakistan, dozens of labor activists demonstrated outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, organised by the National Trade Union Federation and the Home-Based Women Workers Federation, waving Venezuelan flags and portraits of Hugo Chávez and Maduro.
Nasir Mansoor, the federation’s general secretary, denounced Trump’s actions as a “criminal war on Venezuela after the genocide in Gaza,” calling Maduro’s abduction “shameful and blatant terrorism” for challenging American dominance and using oil revenues for public welfare. “The working people of Pakistan express unwavering solidarity with the people of Venezuela, who are defending their sovereignty and their right to determine their own political and economic path,” he said.
Zehra Khan, general secretary of the women workers federation, described the war as the latest in the “bloody” history of American interventions in Latin America, from Guatemala to Chile and Grenada to Panama under the Monroe Doctrine. She demanded Washington stop its “imperialist expansion,” adding: “You can see that from Palestine to the whole world, it has unleashed a war, and this war should end. And we reject any occupation of any country by another country, under any circumstances.”
Renowned progressive intellectual Dr. Asghar Dashti said Trump’s moves aimed to impose a “US-backed colonial order.” Protesters criticized Pakistan’s leaders for nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, demanding an apology, and called for him to face war crimes charges at the International Court of Justice for imposing war and abducting a president.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a statement on Sunday expressing concern over the evolving situation and urging restraint. “We urge the need for restraint and deescalation to end the crisis, and underscore the necessity for adherence to the principles of the UN charter as well as international law to resolve all outstanding issues,” it said. The office emphasized Pakistan’s attachment to the well-being of Venezuelans and added: “We are closely monitoring the developments and remain engaged in ensuring the safety and security of members of the Pakistani community in Venezuela.”
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