Munir Akram, the Permanent Representative (PR) of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN)

Pakistani media reports on Thursday claimed that the Permanent Representative (PR) of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN), Munir Akram, had sent a written submission to the UN Security Council (UNSC) that convened on January 12 for an open debate on "International Cooperation in combating terrorism 20 years after the adoption of 1373", proposing an action plan to tackle what it called "violent extremist supremacist groups", including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), claiming the organisation poses a "clear and present danger" to international peace and security.

India Today TV has found that there has been no such submission at the UNSC by the Pakistani envoy to the UN.

"These violent extremist supremacist groups pose a clear and present danger to regional and international peace and security," government-operated news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted Munir Akram, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, as saying to the panel.

The 15-member council had convened on January 12 to review global cooperation in combating terrorism.

"They [extremist outfits] must be outlawed by the Security Council like other terrorist groups," the Pakistani envoy stressed in his statement submitted to the Council, as reported by APP.

As of the time of writing this article, the Media Documents Centre of the UN Department of Global Communications responded to India Today's query by saying, "Sorry, the ECOSOC President did not submit a statement for that meeting."

Our question was very specific asking if the Pakistani PR has written submission on the open debate on terrorism on January 12 at the UNSC.

The query also added, "It is not reflecting on the website. If true, could I have a copy of the submission on India and the RSS?"

The official response referred to Ambassador Munir Akram as President of ECOSOC, who was elected seventy-sixth President of the Economic and Social Council on 23 July 2020.

While the response received from the UN office denying any submission by the Pakistani envoy was on January 14, 8:39 pm (IST), APP had filed its story on January 13, 11:36 am (EST).

However, the Pakistan Mission says it had submitted the statement on January 12 itself.

In a tweet, Tipu Usman, a diplomat at Pakistan’s Permanent Mission in New York, said, “It was submitted on the day of the debate and is part of the record. Confirmed in the screenshot that I tweeted.”

But the diplomat did not share any screenshot of the date of confirmation letter sent by the Security Council Some Branch (SCSB).

While Pakistani media has filed reports with quotes from the written submission, India Today not only has a confirmation from the UN office of no such written submission, but the UN website also still does not reflect any such letter while submissions of all other countries can be seen.

If at all, the Pakistani PR would have had sent a written submission, it should have reflected on the website. Pakistan could not have participated themselves in the open debate on terrorism on January 12 since it is not a UNSC member.