Pakistan seeks emergency meeting; India relies on friendly nations for diplomatic response
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold closed-door consultations to address the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistan, a current non-permanent member of the 15-nation UNSC, formally requested the meeting, which the Council scheduled for Monday afternoon in New York (early Tuesday morning India time).
Greece, which holds the presidency of the Council for May, confirmed the arrangement after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar instructed the country’s UN Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, to immediately take steps to convene a special session.
Pakistan Accuses India of Destabilizing Peace
In a statement issued on Sunday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it would brief the UNSC on “India’s aggressive actions and provocative statements.” The country also plans to highlight New Delhi’s alleged “illegal suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty” and how it believes India is endangering regional peace and security.
The Pakistani envoy also emphasized the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir, framing it as a serious threat to both regional and international stability. Pakistan maintains that the current developments are a direct result of what it calls Indian provocations post the Pahalgam attack.
India Not Present at the Table, Relies on Allies
Unlike in 2019, when India was a non-permanent member of the UNSC, India is not present in the Council this time, while Pakistan holds a seat. As a result, New Delhi has asked its diplomatic allies to convey its concerns and represent its views during the discussions.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has reportedly spoken to multiple key global leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and foreign ministers from Russia, the US, the UK, France, and South Korea, seeking support for India’s stance.
In these conversations, Jaishankar emphasized that authorities must hold the “perpetrators, backers, and planners” of the Pahalgam terror attack accountable.
UNSC Meeting Unlikely to Produce Formal Resolution
The meeting, being held behind closed doors, is an informal consultation, meaning there will be no official statements or resolutions issued. In a similar case in August 2019—after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir—a closed meeting was convened at Pakistan’s request but ended without any official UNSC response.
Currently, the UNSC consists of five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US—and ten non-permanent members including Pakistan, Greece, Algeria, Denmark, Guyana, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia.
Greece Condemns Terror Attack, Stresses Dialogue
Greek Ambassador and UNSC President Evangelos Sekeris expressed his country’s firm condemnation of the terror attack and emphasized that the UNSC supports global efforts against terrorism. He acknowledged Pakistan’s right to call for consultations and underscored the importance of peaceful dialogue in resolving the Indo-Pak conflict.
