Ambassador of Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Shafqat Ali Khan, delivered Pakistan’s National Statement today at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, being held in Abu Dhabi from 26 September to 1 October 2026.
Ambassador Khan congratulated the UAE on hosting the Congress and commended its warm hospitality and excellent arrangements.
Highlighting the evolving global crime landscape, Ambassador Khan stressed that socio-economic inequalities, underdevelopment and the misuse of digital and artificial intelligence technologies are creating new challenges. He called for renewed commitment to the SDGs, underscoring the mutually reinforcing relationship between sustainable development and the rule of law.
Pakistan called for stronger international cooperation, greater national capacity-building, and meaningful technical assistance and technology transfer for developing countries. The Ambassador also emphasized the safe, secure and responsible development and use of emerging technologies.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to combating transnational organized crime and the world drug problem, Ambassador Khan highlighted Pakistan’s longstanding counter-narcotics efforts, including major drug seizures and its poppy-free status. He voiced concern over potential expansion of opium cultivation and synthetic drug production in Afghanistan, as well as the growing nexus between narcotics and terrorism and its implications for regional security.
He called for stronger international action against corruption, money laundering and illicit financial flows, including effective asset recovery and measures to deny safe havens to criminals.
Ambassador Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and noted that safe, regular and affordable migration pathways can also help address these challenges.
Expressing concern over rising acts of Islamophobia, racism and xenophobia, the Ambassador called for credible measures to counter hate speech, strengthen legal protection for victims of Islamophobia, and promote mutual understanding and respect.
The UN Crime Congress is the United Nations’ principal global forum on crime prevention and criminal justice, which is held every five years and brings together countries and stakeholders to strengthen international cooperation against crime.
