UNITED NATIONS, New York: The United Nations security officials have taken notice of a political slogan raised from the visitors’ gallery during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the UN General Assembly on September 26, sparking questions about how domestic politics entered one of the world’s most formal diplomatic forums.
The interruption occurred when an enthusiastic supporter of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) shouted “Long live Shehbaz Sharif” as the prime minister spoke. The speech was being broadcast live on the UN Web TV and was seen live in various countries as well.
According to reliable sources, a Pakistani mission official immediately conveyed instructions to the gallery to stop the chanting, while UN security personnel moved quickly to restore order. Access to the visitors’ gallery is strictly controlled, permitted only through passes generally obtained via a member state’s diplomatic mission. UN officials are now investigating who secured access for the individual and why such slogans, rooted in Pakistan’s internal politics, were raised in the assembly hall.
The disruption contrasted sharply with established UN traditions. Applause is customary to show agreement, while silent walkouts are the accepted form of protest. Just minutes before Sharif’s speech, several countries staged a quiet walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address. They returned without slogans or noise once his speech ended, resuming their seats to hear the Pakistani leader.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. During the era of President General Zia-ul-Haq, his opponents from Pakistan’s political opposition raised slogans from the same visitors’ gallery — in that case against military rule and in favour of democracy.
