THE UNITED NATIONS (PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES) ACT, 1948

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THE UNITED NATIONS (PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES) ACT,
1948

CONTENTS

immunities

their representatives and officers

THE SCHEDULE

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THE UNITED NATIONS (PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES) ACT, 1948

1
ACT NO. XX OF 1948
[16
th
June, 1948]

An Act to give effect to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

W HEREAS it is expedient to give effect to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of
the United Nations, and to enable similar privileges and immunities to be enjoyed by other
international organisations and their representatives and officials;
It is hereby enacted as follows:
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1. Short title. This Act may be called the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act,
1948.

2. Conferment on United Nations and its representatives and officers of certain
privileges and immunities. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law,
the provisions set out in the Schedule to this Act of the Convention on the Privileges and
Immunities, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 13th day of February
1946, shall have the force of law in Pakistan.
(2) The
2
[Federal Government] may, from time to time, by notification in the official Gazette,
amend the Schedule in conformity with any amendments, duly made and adopted, of the provisions
of the said Convention set out therein.

3. Power to confer certain privileges and immunities on other international
organisations and their representatives and officers. Where in pursuance of any international
Agreement, convention or other instrument it is necessary to accord to any international
organisation
3
and its representatives and officers privileges and immunities in Pakistan similar to
those contained in the provision set out in the Schedule, the
2
[Federal Government] may, by
notification in the official Gazette, declare that the provisions set out in the Schedule shall, subject to
such modifications, if any, as it may consider necessary or expedient for giving effect to the said
agreement, convention or other instrument apply mutatis mutandis to the international organisation
3
specified in the notification and its representatives and officers, and thereupon the said provision
shall apply accordingly and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law,
shall in such application have the force of law in Pakistan.

2
[Federal Government] may make rules for carrying out the
purposes of this Act.
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1
This Act has been applied to Baluchistan, see Gaz. of P., 1953, Pt. I, p. 8; and applied also in the Federated Areas of Baluchistan, see Gaz. of P., 1953,
Pt. I, p. 152.
It has also been extended to the Leased Areas of Baluchistan, see the Leased Areas (Laws) Order, 1950 (G.G.O. 3 of 1950).
2
Subs. by Federal Adaptation Laws Order, 1975 (P. O. No. 4 of 1975), Art. 2 and Table.
3
The provisions set out in the Schedule to this Act have, subject to certain modifications, been applied to the International Monetary Fund, see Gaz. of
P., 1952, Pt. I. pp. 66-68.
The provisions of the Schedule to the Act have been applied mutatis mutandis to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund and its
representatives and officers, see ibid., 1953, Pt. I., p. 146.
The provisions of the Schedule to the Act have been applied mutatis mutandis, subject to certain modifications to the International Atomic Energy
Agency, see ibid., 1965, Pt. I, p. 7.

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1
THE SCHEDULE

( See section 2 and 3 )

ARTICLE I
JURIDICAL PERSONALITY

capacity:
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(a) to contract;
(b) to acquire and dispose of immovable and movable property;
(c) to institute legal proceedings.
ARTICLE II
PROPERTY, FUNDS AND ASSETS

whomsoever held, shall enjoy immunity from every form of legal process except in so far as in any
particular case it has expressly waived its immunity. It is, however, understood that no waiver of
immunity shall extend to any measure of execution.

of the United Nations, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall be immune from search,
requisition, confiscation, expropriation and any other form of interference, whether by executive,
administrative, Judicial or legislative action.

or held by it, shall be inviolable wherever located.

kind,
(a) the United Nations may hold funds, gold or currency of any kind and operate
accounts in any currency ;
(b) the United Nations shall be free to transfer its funds, gold or currency from
one country to another or within any country and to convert any currency held
by it into any other currency.

regard to any representations made by the Government of any Member in so far as it is considered
that effect can be given to such representations without detriment to the interests of the United
Nations.

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(a) exempt from all direct taxes; it is understood, however, that the United
Nations will not claim exemption from taxes which are, in fact, no more than
charges for public utility services;
1
This Schedule has been made applicable, mutatis mutandis, to the International Organization for Migration (I.O.M) vide SRO 66(KE)/2001, dt 26-12-

(b) exempt from customs duties and prohibitions and restrictions on imports and
exports in respect of articles imported or exported by the United Nations for
its official use. It is understood, however, that articles imported under such
exemption will not be sold in the country into which they were imported
except under conditions agreed with the Government of that country;
(c) exempt from customs duties and prohibitions and restrictions on imports and
exports in respect of its publications.

excise duties and from taxes on the sale of movable and immovable property which form part of the
price to be paid nevertheless when the United Nations is making important purchases for official use
of property on which such duties and taxes have been charged or are chargeable, Members will,
whenever possible, make appropriate administrative arrangements for the remission or return of the
amount of duty or tax.
ARTICLE III
FACILITES IN RESPECT OF COMMUNICATIONS

communications treatment not less favourable than that accorded by the Government of that Member
to any other Government including its diplomatic mission in the matter of priorities, rates and taxes
on mails, cables, telegrams, radiograms, telephotos, telephone and other communications; and press
rates for information to the press and radio. No censorship shall be applied to the official
correspondence and other official communications of the United Nations.

receive its correspondence by courier or in bags, which shall have the same immunities and
privileges as diplomatic couriers and bags.
ARTICLE IV

THE REPRESENTATIVES OF MEMBERS

United Nations and to conferences convened by the United Nations, shall, while exercising their
functions and during their journey to and from the place of meeting, enjoy the following privileges
and immunities:
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(a) immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal
baggage, and, in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by them
in their capacity as representatives, immunity from legal process of every
kind;
(b) inviolability for all papers and documents;
(c) the right to use codes and to receive papers or correspondence by courier or in
sealed bags;

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(d) exemption in respect of themselves and their spouses from immigration
restrictions, aliens registration or national service obligations in the state they
are visiting of through which they are passing in the exercise of their
functions;
(e) the same facilities in respect of currency or exchange restrictions as are
accorded to representatives of foreign governments on temporary official
missions;
(f) the same immunities and facilities in respect of their personal baggage as are
accorded to diplomatic envoys; and also
(g) such other privileges, immunities and facilities not inconsistent with the
foregoing as diplomatic envoys enjoy, except that they shall have no right to
claim exemption from customs duties on goods imported (otherwise than as
part of their personal baggage) or from excise duties or sales taxes.

subsidiary organs of the United Nations and to conferences convened by the United Nations,
complete freedom of speech and independence in the discharge of their duties, the immunity from
legal process in respect of words spoken or written and all acts done by them in discharging their
duties shall continue to be accorded, notwithstanding that the persons concerned are no longer the
representatives of Members.

during which the representatives of Members to the principal and subsidiary organs of the United
Nations and to conferences convened by the United Nations are present in a state for the discharge of
their duties shall not be considered as periods of residence.

not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves but in order to safeguard the independent
exercise of their functions in connection with the United Nations. Consequently a Member not only
has the right but is under a duty to waive the immunity of its representative in any case where in the
opinion of the Member the immunity would impede the course of justice, and it can be waived
without prejudice to the purpose for which the immunity is accorded.

representative and the authorities of the state of which he is a national or of which he is or has been
the representative.

delegates, deputy delegates, advisers, technical experts and secretaries of delegations.
ARTICLE V
OFFICIALS

provisions of this Article and Article VII shall apply. He shall submit these categories to the General
Assembly. Thereafter these categories shall be communicated to the Governments of all Members.
The names of the officials included in these categories shall from time to time be made known to the
Governments of Members.

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(a) be immune from legal process in respect of words spoken or written and all
acts performed by them in their official capacity;
(b) be exempt from taxation on the salaries and emoluments paid to them by the
Unite Nations;
(c) be immune from national service obligations;
(d) be immune, together with their spouses and relatives dependent on them, from
immigration restrictions and alien registration;
(e) be accorded the same privileges in respect of exchange facilities as are
accorded to the officials of comparable ranks forming part of diplomatic
missions to the Government concerned;
(f) be given, together with their spouses and relatives dependent on them,
the same repatriation facilities in time of international crisis as
diplomatic envoys;
(g) have the right to import free of duty their furniture and effects at the
time of first taking up their post in the country in question.

Secretary-General and all Assistant Secretaries-General shall be accorded in respect of
themselves their spouses and minor children, the privileges and immunities, exemptions and
facilities accorded to diplomatic envoys, in accordance with international law.

United Nations and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves. The Secretary-
General shall have the right and the duty to waive the immunity of any official in any case
where, in his opinion, the immunity would impede the course of justice and can be waived
without prejudice to the interests of the United Nations. In the case of the Secretary-General,
the Security Council shall have the right to waive immunity.

authorities of Members to facilitate the proper administration of justice, secure the
observance of police regulations and prevent the occurrence of any abuse in connection with
the privileges, immunities and facilities mentioned in this Article.
ARTICLE VI
EXPERTS ON MISSIONS FOR THE UNITED NATIONS

performing missions for the United Nations shall be accorded such privileges and immunities
as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions during the period of their
missions, including the time spent on journeys in connection with their missions. In
particular they shall be accorded:
(a) immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal
baggage;

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(b) in respect of words spoken or written and acts done by them in the course of
the performance of their mission’ immunity from legal process of every kind.
This immunity from legal process shall continue to be accorded
notwithstanding that the persons concerned are no longer employed on
missions for the United Nations;
(c) inviolability for all papers and documents;
(d) for the purpose of their communications with the United Nations, the right to
use codes and to receive papers or correspondence by courier or in sealed
bags;
(e) the same facilities in respect of currency or exchange restrictions as are
accorded to representatives of foreign governments on temporary official
missions;
(f) the same immunities and facilities in respect of their personal baggage as are
accorded to diplomatic envoys.

Nations and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves. The Secretary-General shall
have the right and the duty to waive the immunity of any expert in any case where, in his opinion, the
immunity would impede the course of justice and it can be waived without prejudice to the interests
of the United Nations.
ARTICLE VII
UNITED NATIONS LAISSEZ-PASSER

These laissez-passer shall be recognized and accepted as valid travel documents by the authorities of
Members, taking into account the provisions of section 25.

laissez-passer, when accompanied by a certificate that they are traveling on the business of the
United Nations, shall be dealt with as speedily as possible. In addition, such person shall be granted
facilities for speedy travel.

experts and other persons who, though not the holders of United Nations laissez-passer, have
a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the United Nations.

traveling on United Nations laissez-passer on the business of the United Nations shall be
granted the same facilities as are accorded to diplomatic envoys.

officials of specialized agencies if the agreements for relationship made under Article 63 of
the Charter so provide.
ARTICLE VIII
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

settlement of:

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(a) disputes arising out of contracts or other disputes of a private law
character to which the United Nations is a party;
(b) disputes involving any official of the United Nations who by reason of
his official position enjoys immunity, if immunity has not been waived
by the Secretary-General.

present Convention shall be referred to the International Court of Justice, unless in any case
it is agreed by the parties to have recourse to another mode of settlement. If a difference
arises between the United Nations on the one hand and a Member on other hand, a request
shall be made for an advisory opinion on any legal question involved in accordance with

Court shall be accepted as decisive by the parties.
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17823
Date: 29-05-2025