Pak to introspect loss in UNHRC election

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will introspect and discuss the reasons for losing its re-election bid to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

According to the Dawn, many officials at the MOFA agreed the loss is a setback as it is the first time Pakistan lost a major election in the UN.

Pakistan was bidding for its fourth term from Asia Pacific Group, but couldn't restore the seat as it received only 105 votes in the 193-member General Assembly.

The country that topped the election was Mongolia, which bagged over 150 votes. The United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea and the Philippines are the other nations who won in the election.

Pakistan had been in UNHRC since 2006, except for a year-long mandatory break.

The two major blocs that did not vote for Pakistan in the election were the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

It's a major loss for Pakistan as it was planning to raise the issue of Kashmir in a big way in Human Rights Council but now have to wait till it gets re-elected.