UNSC Grills Pakistan in Closed-Door Meeting Amid Escalating India Tensions

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened a closed-door consultation on Monday to discuss the rising tensions between India and Pakistan following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 civilian deaths. The meeting, held at Pakistan's request and scheduled by Greece, the current UNSC President for May, aimed to address the escalating security concerns in the region. Though the Council did not issue an official statement post-meeting, Pakistan claimed its objectives had been “largely served,” according to PTI.

The closed-door session was not held in the Council’s traditional horse-shoe seating room but in a consultation room nearby and lasted about an hour. The briefing was led by Khaled Mohamed Khiari, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and Peace Operations (DPO). Khiari described the situation as “volatile” and emphasized the need for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris of Greece, the current UNSC President, echoed this sentiment, calling the meeting “productive” and “helpful.”

Sources cited by PTI reported that Pakistan’s attempt to internationalise the issue did not succeed. Multiple member states reportedly raised “tough questions” for Pakistan, specifically expressing concern about its recent missile tests and provocative nuclear rhetoric, which were viewed as contributing to regional instability. Despite this, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, maintained that the meeting served Pakistan's objectives. He stated that the UNSC had an open discussion on the deteriorating security environment and that members exchanged views on how to avoid further confrontation, highlighting the need for de-escalation.

Ambassador Ahmad thanked the Council for supporting dialogue and reaffirmed that while Pakistan does not seek confrontation, it remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He framed the meeting as a platform that enabled engagement on the tensions with India following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

The attack, which involved gunmen opening fire on a group of tourists, left 26 dead and was claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based militant organization. In the aftermath, the Indian government took several punitive measures, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and the deportation of Pakistani nationals from Indian territory. These steps were part of a broader diplomatic and strategic response aimed at isolating Pakistan.

In retaliation, Pakistan suspended the Simla Agreement, a foundational treaty that outlines bilateral relations and conflict resolution between the two countries. Furthermore, Pakistani forces engaged in unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir for 12 consecutive nights. These actions heightened tensions, prompting the Indian Army to respond with proportional force.

The UNSC consultation, while behind closed doors, highlighted growing global concern over South Asia’s fragile security dynamics and underscored the need for sustained dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours.