Pakistan says the principle of universal jurisdiction should not be viewed as a license to infringe upon state sovereignty.

Speaking at the General Debate of the Sixth Committee ‘The scope and application of the principle of Universal Jurisdiction’, Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan Usman Iqbal Jadoon said the application of this principle should always be in full compliance with international law principles and the United Nations Charter.

He said the selective use and distortion of this principle by specific states not only diverges from the tenets of justice but also significantly compromises the integrity of international law.

Usman Iqbal said universal jurisdiction should only apply to severe crimes such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, which have international repercussions as there is a general consensus that these are the crimes for which universal jurisdiction is most suitable.

He said the exercise of universal jurisdiction cannot occur in isolation from, or at the expense of, other pertinent principles of international law. These include the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, which must always be respected and upheld.

He said the principle of Universal jurisdiction should be applicable for the purpose of enabling the International Court of Justice to assist in resolving disputes which are on the Agenda of the Security Council.