UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has called for ensuring global economic equity by improving representation of developing countries in international financial institutions.

Speaking at Summit of Future on its second and concluding day, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif underscored need to review sovereign debt architecture to make it more equitable and adopt an equitable international tax regime along with reforming World Trade Organisation to serve as vehicle for export expansion and development, through preferential treatment for developing countries and avoidance of new environmental protectionism.

"UN, by virtue of its universal membership and mandate, remains an indispensable platform to propel and monitor implementation of these commitments," he said. Highlighting need for bridging North-South divide and preventing an East-West fragmentation of digital space, Asif remarked, "We must ensure equitable data governance. And, we must capture and control power of Artificial Intelligence."

Addressing various challenges faced by world today, he termed UN's Pact for Future, aimed at transforming multilateral system-an expression of international community's collective determination to respond to global challenges and called for upholding commitments made in game-changing document.