UN investigates political slogan shouted during Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s address, raising questions on gallery security. Photo: UN.
United Nations security officials are reviewing an unexpected political interruption that occurred during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the UN General Assembly. The incident has raised questions about how domestic political messages entered one of the world’s most formal diplomatic forums.
The disruption happened when a visitor in the gallery, reportedly a supporter of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), shouted, “Long live Shehbaz Sharif” while the Prime Minister delivered his speech. The address was being broadcast live on UN Web TV and was viewed across multiple countries in real time.
According to a report by The News International, a Pakistani mission official immediately instructed the gallery to cease the chanting. UN security personnel quickly intervened to restore order.
Access to the UN visitors’ gallery is strictly controlled and generally requires passes issued through a member state’s diplomatic mission. UN officials have launched an investigation to determine how the individual obtained access and why slogans rooted in Pakistan’s domestic politics were voiced in the assembly hall.
The incident deviated sharply from established UN traditions, where applause is customary, and silent walkouts are the accepted form of protest. For context, just minutes earlier, several countries staged a quiet walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address and returned without slogans or disruption to hear Sharif speak.
This is not the first instance of political slogans being raised in the UN gallery. During the tenure of Pakistan’s former President General Zia-ul-Haq, opposition figures similarly used the visitors’ gallery to voice slogans against military rule and in favor of democracy.
In his speech, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that the world is experiencing “testing times” marked by conflict, terrorism, and climate change. He urged urgent action for peace across South Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
“Our world is more complex today than ever before,” Sharif said, citing intensifying conflicts, violations of international law, and a climate crisis that “threatens our very survival.”
Also Read: Shocking Viral Video Shows Deadly Car Bomb Explosion Rock Pakistan’s Quetta, 13 Killed
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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