Security Council

Composition

• Five permanent members (P5), the main victors of the Second World War, each with a veto.
• Ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms on a regional basis; five are elected every year.
• The presidency rotates monthly among members in alphabetical order.

Voting

Procedural matters need 9 votes out of 15. Substantive matters need 9 votes including the concurring votes of all five permanent members, which gives each of them a veto; an abstention is not counted as a veto in practice.

Powers and functions

• Investigates any dispute or situation that might lead to international friction (Chapter VI).
• Recommends methods of settling disputes.
• Determines threats to peace and acts of aggression, and decides on measures (Chapter VII).
• Imposes economic sanctions and arms embargoes.
• Authorizes the use of military force.
• Establishes peacekeeping operations.
• Recommends the appointment of the Secretary-General and the admission of new members.

Criticism and reform

• The veto lets the P5 block action even in cases of mass atrocities.
• The composition reflects the world of 1945, not today; Africa and Latin America have no permanent seat.
• The G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan) seek permanent seats.
• Pakistan, Italy and others lead the 'Uniting for Consensus' group, which opposes new permanent members and favours more elected seats, arguing that more permanent members would increase inequality.

Pakistan and the Security Council

Pakistan has been elected to the Council eight times, most recently for 2025–26. The Council's resolutions of 1948–49 on Kashmir called for a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices.