The UN Security Council met behind closed doors yesterday at the request of Pakistan, to discuss rising tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir. Council members were briefed on the situation in the region and told of intelligence indicating an “imminent threat” of action by India, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said, referring to the council’s meeting on May 5 in New York, reported Reuters. “They called for dialogue and diplomacy to diffuse tension and avoid military confrontation ... and to peacefully resolve issues,” the ministry said in a statement.
Reuters notes that Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council. India is not, but New Delhi had been in talks with Council members ahead of Monday’s May 5 meeting. An Indian source familiar with the discussion said many members expressed concern that Pakistan’s missile tests—there were two in three days prior to the meeting—and nuclear rhetoric were “escalatory” factors. “Pakistan’s efforts to internationalize the situation also failed,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “They were advised to sort out the issues bilaterally with India.”
According to a report in Hindustan Times, which cites PTI, envoys reportedly posed “tough questions” for Islamabad over the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Pahalgam attack and also refused to accept the “false flag” narrative. The meeting also saw a broad condemnation of the terror attack and recognized the need for accountability.
