UNSC Holds Closed-Door Talks on India-Pakistan Tensions, Poses Sharp Questions to Islamabad
The UN Security Council convened a closed-door meeting on Monday to deliberate on escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
The meeting was arranged by Greece, which holds the UNSC presidency for May, after Pakistan formally requested the session. While the Council did not release any official statement post-discussion, diplomats present reportedly urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.
During the consultation, several envoys reportedly confronted Pakistan with pointed questions over its alleged links to cross-border terrorism, according to sources familiar with the proceedings. Though no consensus emerged publicly, Pakistan stated that the session fulfilled its diplomatic goals, as reported by PTI.
Khaled Mohamed Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, briefed members on behalf of the UN Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA and DPO).
Observers note that the absence of a formal UNSC statement reflects ongoing divisions within the Council on South Asian issues, as well as the complexity of the India-Pakistan relationship.