News Brief
Arjun Brij
May 06, 2025, 12:11 PM | Updated 12:11 PM IST
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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) came down heavily on Pakistan during a closed-door consultation over escalating tensions with India after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Citing sources, ANI reported that UNSC members directly questioned Pakistan over the involvement of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in the 22 April attack, which killed 26 tourists.
The meeting, requested by Pakistan under the Greek presidency of the UNSC, lasted over an hour but did not deliver the results Islamabad may have hoped for.
Instead of gaining support for its internationalisation bid, the Pakistani delegation was met with pointed concerns over its "nuclear rhetoric" and "recent missile tests", which members described as potentially escalating.
Pakistan’s attempt to float a "false flag" theory regarding the Pahalgam massacre was unequivocally rejected by the council, with multiple countries demanding accountability and justice.
Members further emphasised that the victims were allegedly targeted based on their religion, something that deeply troubled the council.
“Targeting civilians is unacceptable – and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Calling for restraint from both sides, he stressed, “A military solution is not a solution… It pains me to see relations reaching a boiling point.”
After the session, Pakistan’s envoy Asim Iftikhar reiterated Islamabad’s denial of involvement and criticised India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a "violation of international law."
No formal statement was issued by India or the UNSC. However, Greek envoy Evangelos Sekeris, the council’s president for May, described the meeting as “productive and helpful,” while a Russian diplomat called for “de-escalation.”
Arjun Brij is an Editorial Associate at Swarajya. He tweets at @arjun_brij