Pakistan was on Friday elected to the powerful UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year-term beginning on January 1, 2012, putting it in the club of 10 nations which currently includes India.
Pakistan won 129 votes in the 193 member General Assembly. Pakistan was vying for the seat against Kyrgyzstan in the Asia pacific category. There were no abstention.
To win a seat on the UN Security Council, a country must receive the support of at least 129 members. Pakistan was one of the nine countries vying for five non-permanent seats on the Security Council that will fall vacant on December 31, 2011.
Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon said, "It is a great day for the subcontinent. We have an opportunity to bring things together. The Indian ocean is important, Africa, Asia, we are going to work together and on the Indian subcontinent we have great opportunity as there are people here who are willing to talk and lead by example.”
"So we are looking forward to something good for not just the sub continent but also for Africa and the Indian ocean," he told the media here.
India joined as non-permanent member of the UNSC on January 2011 and its term will end on December 31, 2012.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours have thrice before been together in the Council in 1968, 1977 and 1984.
Haroon said "with India we have worked together for two years why should we not do it for a third." Morrocco, Guatemala also claimed non-permanent seats.