New York: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held a behind-closed-doors consultation on Monday, May 5, to discuss the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam which left 26 individuals dead.
While Pakistan, currently a non-permanent member of the Council, had requested the meeting to internationalise the Kashmir issue, it faced sharp questions over the role of terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and failed to gain much traction.
According to report by PTI, diplomatic sources revealed that several UNSC members rejected Pakistan’s attempts to float a "false flag" theory and instead pressed for accountability in the wake of the Pahalgam killings. There was broad condemnation of the attack, with some members even flagging concerns over religiously targeted violence against tourists.
Pakistan’s Narrative Faces Pushback
At the informal session, Council members reportedly challenged Islamabad over its escalation through recent missile tests and nuclear rhetoric. Many reiterated that Pakistan’s longstanding bid to bring the Kashmir issue to the UN had little support, stressing that the matter should be resolved bilaterally with India.
“Pakistan’s strategy to use Council membership to spotlight Kashmir is not new, but it rarely produces results,” said India’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin. His successor, TS Tirumurti, echoed the sentiment, noting that most permanent members, barring China, view the Kashmir issue as a bilateral dispute.
UN Chief Urges Restraint and Dialogue
Speaking ahead of the consultations, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalating tension, calling it the worst in years. “It pains me to see relations reaching a boiling point,” he told reporters, adding that civilian casualties in Pahalgam were “unacceptable” and those responsible must be held accountable through lawful means.
Guterres also reiterated the UN’s readiness to support de-escalation efforts. “A military solution is no solution,” he said, offering the UN’s good offices to both countries for dialogue and peacebuilding.
Despite Pakistan's efforts, Monday's meeting ended without any formal outcome — reinforcing the Security Council's longstanding reluctance to intervene directly in the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir.
