United Nations 80th Anniversary. November 24, 2025 (2025-25)

The United Nations came into being on 24 October 1945. With the ratification of the UN Charter, the founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the UN officially came into being. This signalled a commitment to an entirely new level of international cooperation grounded in international law. There is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact of the UN. No other global organization gives hope to so many people for a better world and can deliver the future we want. Today, the urgency for all countries to come together, to fulfil the promise of the nations united, has rarely been greater. UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 79 years.

Two years later, Pakistan came into being, as a democratic expression of the Muslims of South Asia, to uphold justice, promote tolerance and preserve religious and cultural identities. The Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, outlining the ideals of Pakistan's foreign policy, based it on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations: peace and prosperity among nations of the world; honesty and fair play in international dealings; no aggressive designs against any country or nation and material and moral support to the oppressed and suppressed peoples of the world. Guided by the vision of its founding fathers, Pakistan has engaged with the UN to build partnerships and alliances for the collective good. We have participated actively in discussions on a host of issues including international peace and security, human rights, disarmament, development, environment, climate change, and international law.

Pakistan's contributions to the United Nations are as old as the country itself. Begum Shaista Ikramullah, a Pakistani delegate to the UN, played a significant role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. She specifically advocated for the inclusion of Article 16, which focuses on equal rights in marriage, and emphasized freedom, equality, and choice within the declaration. Her contributions were part of Pakistan's active participation in the drafting discussions at the UN General Assembly's Third Committee in Paris. Since then, Pakistan has helped evolve the UN discourse on human rights as a member of the Human Rights Commission and later as a founding member of the UN Human Rights Council since its inception in 2006.

Pakistan was at the forefront of the United Nations' drive for decolonization that resulted in establishment of dozens of states in Asia, Africa and Latin America, based on the inalienable right to self-determination. Pakistani national delegations steered the intergovernmental endorsements of the decolonization process at relevant forums of the UN. Our efforts contributed in ending the dark chapter of foreign domination and subjugation in many parts of world and helped translate the universality of the right of people to self-determination into reality.

Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2025-2026. This is Pakistan's eighth time serving on the UNSC as a non-permanent member. Pakistan was elected to the council with 182 out of 193 votes in June 2024. The country's term began on January 1, 2025, and will continue until December 31, 2026. Pakistan's commitment to the UNSC revolves around upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, particularly maintaining international peace and security. Pakistan is also leading voice for reform of the Security Council to make it more democratic, inclusive and accountable.

The country's foreign policy objectives include promoting peaceful resolutions of disputes, combating terrorism, and supporting UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts. Pakistan also remains a leading member state in United Nations' efforts to maintain international peace and security. Pakistan has been a leading troop contributor to the UN Peacekeeping Missions around the World. We have proudly contributed over 200,000 troops that have served with honour and professionalism in 46 missions over six decades. Moreover, 171 brave Pakistani peacekeepers have offered supreme sacrifice for World peace.

Whilst the promise of the UN-administered plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir remains unfulfilled, the UN and its various bodies remain apathetic of the grave situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan continues to facilitate the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), a reminder of the intentional nature of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Three important meetings of the Security Council, two reports by the UN High Commission for Human Rights and numerous statements and press releases by UN Experts and mechanisms have highlighted the multiple dimensions of egregious human rights violations and precarious security situation in IIOJK, warranting urgent implementation of Security Council Resolutions. The 80th anniversary of UN is a solemn reminder to the United Nations and international community to fulfil its promise to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to grant them their fundamental right of self-determination.

As the UN turns 80, Pakistan joins the international community in rejoicing its achievements and reflecting on the setbacks. Indeed, the achievements and setbacks of the UN are a manifestation of the success and failures of its member states. In recent times, Pakistan deeply regrets the failure of the UNSC to adopt the Resolution on the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza tabled by the ten elected members which was an effort to address one of the gravest and sustained humanitarian catastrophes of our time. Pakistan has time and again reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle for dignity, justice, and self-determination. On UNSC platform, Pakistan has univocally stated that it stands with the Palestinian people and longs for a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution to the question of Palestine - rooted in international law and based on the establishment of a viable, contiguous, and sovereign Palestinian State, on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions.

Design Elements

Ø  The stamps have been made using blue and white colour only which are the colours of UN flag.

Ø  Each stamp and first day issue envelope showcases UN80's theme "Building Our Future Together" or its officially issued Urdu variant. Apart from the six official languages, UN has also formally issued UN80 themes in 22 non-official UN languages including Urdu.

Ø  The borders of the stamp sheet figure the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals. SDGs were adopted in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and are crucial because they provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. They are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

On the eve of United Nations 80th Anniversary, Pakistan Post is issuing a set of two Commemorative Postage Stamps of Rs.30/- each denomination on November 24th, 2025.