When did Pakistan become a member of the United Nations? The one-line answer is 30 September 1947 — but the full story, from the independence-day cable to the General Assembly vote, answers the deeper questions: why so fast, who objected, and what Pakistan did with the membership in its first hundred days.
Quick answer: Pakistan joined the UN on 30 September 1947 (General Assembly Resolution 108 (II)), 47 days after independence. The Security Council had unanimously recommended admission on 18 August 1947 (Resolution 29). Pakistan became the 57th UN member state; Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan led its first delegation.
The short answer
| Date of admission | 30 September 1947 |
| Resolution | UNGA Resolution 108 (II) |
| Member number | 57th member state |
| Days after independence | 47 |
| First Permanent Representative | Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan |
Why admission was so fast
Three reasons: Britain wanted both dominions seated quickly to stabilise the transition; India actively supported Pakistan’s application, removing the one objection that could have stalled it; and the Security Council found Pakistan so clearly qualified under Article 4 that it skipped the usual admissions-committee stage. The General Assembly’s lawyers debated succession theory — then voted anyway, agreeing “membership should not be delayed.” Only Afghanistan’s Durand Line objection marred an otherwise smooth entry.
Pakistan’s first 100 days at the UN
Pakistan did not ease into membership:
- 7 October 1947: Zafrulla Khan addresses the Assembly on Palestine, opposing partition — Pakistan’s first major UN speech.
- Late 1947: Pakistan champions decolonisation causes, including Libya’s independence.
- 1 January 1948: Pakistan refers the Kashmir dispute to the Security Council — the issue that would define its UN diplomacy for the next eight decades.
- January 1948: the Council responds with Resolutions 38 and 39, creating UNCIP to mediate — and the famous unimplemented promise of a plebiscite.
More in the UN membership hub, the 1947 admission story, and Pakistan’s 8 Security Council terms.
Frequently asked questions
When did Pakistan become a member of the United Nations?
30 September 1947, as the 57th member state, via General Assembly Resolution 108 (II).
How long after independence did Pakistan join the UN?
47 days — independence on 14 August 1947, admission on 30 September 1947.
What was Pakistan’s first action at the UN?
Within a week, Zafrulla Khan addressed the Assembly on Palestine (7 October 1947); within months Pakistan took Kashmir to the Security Council (1 January 1948).
