The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will have a closed meeting on Monday to discuss the increasing tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, India on April 22 that killed 26 people. The meeting will take place amid rising diplomatic tensions between the two South Asian countries.
Pakistan had requested for “closed consultations” and the Greek Presidency had scheduled the meeting for Monday afternoon. The country is a non-permanent member of the 15-member UNSC with Greece as its head for the month of May.
“This important diplomatic move is part of Pakistan’s efforts to present accurate facts to the international community,” Pakistan’s foreign office stated on Sunday. It added about briefing the UN on regional developments in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India.
The non-member countries of the UNSC are Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia. The five main veto-wielding permanent members include China, France, Russia, UK and the US.
Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN and President of the UNSC for May when asked about the Pahalgam terror attack earlier remarked, “This is a position of principle. We condemn terrorism in all its forms, everywhere it is happening. On the other hand, we are concerned about this tension which is mounting in the region.”
After Pakistan’s links to the Pahalgam terror attack was revealed, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, citing “sustained cross-border terrorism” from the neighboring nation.
India last week had cautioned the UN about Pakistan’s misuse and sabotage of the internation forum to engage in “propaganda” and make “baseless allegations against India.” As part of its diplomatic offensive, India reached out the eight non-permanent members of the UNSC.
Pakistan demanded a “neutral investigation” into the Pahalgam terror attack denying its role in it. The nation’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad stated last week that his country is entitled to call a meeting whenever it deems it suitable.
“Here it is evident that there was an incident but now what has evolved in terms of the situation which is a real threat to regional and international peace and security, and we believe that the Security Council, in fact, has the mandate, and it would be very legitimate for any member of the Council, including Pakistan, to request a meeting,” Ahmad said.
India declared a series of actions against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, including the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the closing of the Attari land-transit post.
Pakistan also closed its airspace to all Indian airlines and banned trade with New Delhi, including through other countries. It also opposed India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, claiming that any efforts to halt the supply of water to Pakistan under the treaty would be considered an “act of war”.