Pakistan on Tuesday assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for January.

A non-permanent member of the Security Council, Pakistan joined the 15-nation UN body for a two-year term in January 2012 and took over the month-long rotating presidency from Morocco on January 1, 2013.

The Pakistani Permanent Representative to the United Nations Masood Khan is expected to brief the press here later this week on the work of the most powerful UN body in this month.

According to earlier remarks by Khan, Pakistan planned to hold open debates on "Counter-terrorism -- a comprehensive approach" as well as on "UN peacekeeping: a multi-dimensional approach."

Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar will preside over the debate on counter-terrorism, scheduled for Jan. 15. In addition, an open debate on the situation in the Middle East is also planned for January 23.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security in the world at large.

The UN Security Council presidency rotates each month among the Council members in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each president holds office for one calendar month.

The Council has 15 members: five permanent -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms.