Younis Khan says give me freedom to deliver, not power

Pakistani American physician and human rights advocate Dr Asif Mahmood has been unanimously elected as chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, becoming the first South Asian to lead the independent bipartisan body. Dr Mahmood, who previously served as the commission’s vice chair, described his election as a great honour and reflected on his journey from a small village in Pakistan to leading one of the world’s leading organisations focused on protecting freedom of religion and belief. In his acceptance remarks, he said he remains committed to defending the rights of people from all religious backgrounds as well as those who do not follow any faith. He expressed hope for a world where religious freedom, human dignity and peaceful coexistence are respected and protected. His appointment follows his reappointment to the commission for a second term in May 2026, extending his service until 2028. Earlier this year, he noted that he was the first Pakistani, the first Muslim and the first Asian American to serve consecutive terms on the commission. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom was established in 1998 under legislation signed by former President Bill Clinton. It serves as an independent advisory body that monitors religious freedom around the world and provides policy recommendations to the White House, the US State Department and Congress. The commission is made up of nine members appointed by the US president and congressional leaders from both major political parties. Dr Mahmood was reappointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and now succeeds former congresswoman Vicky Hartzler as chair. Political observers have described his election as significant because of his Democratic Party affiliation despite receiving his latest appointment during the Trump administration. His leadership is expected to draw international attention, particularly because of his work on religious freedom issues in South Asia. Dr Mahmood has played a leading role in preparing reports examining allegations of religious freedom violations in India. He has publicly called for greater international scrutiny of the treatment of religious minorities and urged the United States to consider stronger measures in response to concerns raised by the commission. The commission has also recommended that US officials seek independent assessments of religious freedom conditions in India and consider targeted measures against individuals or organisations found responsible for serious violations. Those recommendations have generated considerable debate and have been strongly rejected by Indian authorities in the past. Beyond his work on religious freedom, Dr Mahmood has remained active in public service and politics. In 2022, he contested California’s 40th Congressional District as the Democratic candidate but was defeated by Republican incumbent Young Kim. Earlier, he also ran for California Insurance Commissioner and received hundreds of thousands of votes. A native of Kharian in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Dr Mahmood completed his medical education at Sindh Medical College before moving to the United States. He later completed his medical training at the University of Kentucky Medical Center and pursued a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at Harlem Hospital, which is affiliated with Columbia University. He currently serves on the Medical Board of California after being appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023. Over the years, he has also worked with several humanitarian and community organisations and has received recognition for providing free medical care to patients who could not afford treatment. His election as chair marks another milestone in a career that combines medicine, public service and advocacy for human rights.

The United States walked out of a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday during remarks by France’s ambassador, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two allies over human rights and the leadership of the UN’s top human rights office. The disagreement began after a recent vote on extending the term of Volker Turk as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The United States joined Russia and North Korea in opposing his reappointment, placing Washington on the same side as two countries it has frequently criticized over human rights issues. Following the vote, France’s mission to the United Nations strongly criticized the US position on social media, saying Washington had once been a global symbol of human rights but no longer deserved that reputation. The statement drew a sharp response from American officials and set the stage for the diplomatic confrontation that followed. The latest tension unfolded during an emergency Security Council meeting on Russia’s war in Ukraine. As France’s UN Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont began speaking, members of the US delegation left the chamber in protest. US Ambassador Dan Negrea later said the walkout was a direct response to what he described as France’s disrespectful and condescending language toward the United States. He warned that similar protests would continue unless France changed its approach and withdrew its criticism. Earlier, US Ambassador Mike Waltz defended Washington’s opposition to Turk’s second term. He argued that the human rights chief had unfairly criticized democratic countries while failing to take a strong enough stance against governments with poor human rights records. Waltz did not identify specific examples to support his criticism. During his time in office, Turk has repeatedly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has also raised concerns about Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Despite US objections, his second term was approved by a large majority of UN member states, with 144 countries voting in favor, 10 voting against and 13 abstaining. The dispute reflects broader tensions between the United States and the United Nations under President Donald Trump’s administration. In recent years, Washington has reduced financial support for several UN agencies and withdrawn from a number of UN bodies as part of a wider review of its international commitments. After the vote on Turk’s reappointment, US Ambassador Jeff Bartos warned that the United States would reconsider its participation, engagement and funding for UN institutions. He accused the organization of allowing procedural abuses and political deals to influence key appointments. France, however, strongly defended Turk’s leadership. Ambassador Bonnafont described him as a principled and impartial official who had carried out his responsibilities with integrity during his first term. France argued that his reappointment reflected the confidence of the overwhelming majority of UN member states. A spokesperson for the United Nations declined to comment directly on the American walkout but said the organization expects all member countries to respect decisions made through its established voting process. The incident has added to growing friction between Washington and the UN at a time when international cooperation is already under pressure from several global conflicts.