UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has urged the international community to adopt a legally binding treaty to prevent an arms race in outer space, warning that the deployment of weapons in orbit poses growing risks to global security and strategic stability.
Addressing the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security on Thursday, Pakistani delegate Husham Ahmed said the weaponisation of space was no longer merely a theoretical concern, but an emerging reality requiring urgent international action.
He stressed the need for a comprehensive international framework to preserve outer space as a peaceful domain for future generations, particularly as countries increasingly depend on satellite infrastructure for essential services.
Ahmed warned that integrating missile defence capabilities with space-based systems could undermine strategic stability, provoke countermeasures and intensify military competition among nations.
He said opportunities to prevent an arms race in space remained, but recent developments had made the task increasingly difficult. The international community, he added, must act before the deployment of weapons becomes an established and irreversible reality.
The Pakistani delegate emphasised that voluntary guidelines and transparency measures alone were insufficient to address the growing threat, calling instead for formal international commitments backed by enforceable legal obligations.
He acknowledged the value of transparency initiatives and discussions under the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), describing the forum as an important platform for bridging differences among countries.
However, he maintained that such initiatives could not replace a comprehensive, legally binding agreement.
Ahmed also reiterated Pakistan’s proposals outlining fundamental obligations that could form the basis of a future PAROS treaty.
He called for continued efforts to build on ongoing international discussions and establish a framework combining legally binding commitments with complementary non-binding measures to prevent conflict in outer space.
