The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened an emergency session on Tuesday to address rising tensions between Pakistan and India, following a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that has further strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, is being described as one of the most lethal incidents in the disputed region in over two decades. India has suggested, without providing concrete evidence, that the perpetrators may have had “cross-border linkages” — an allegation firmly denied by Pakistan.
In response, Islamabad has called for an impartial and transparent international investigation into the incident. It has also cautioned against the use of such tragic events to justify escalatory rhetoric or unilateral actions.
Under the direction of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, formally requested the emergency meeting, which was held at 3:00 p.m. local time at the UN headquarters in New York.
In a statement issued earlier by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Islamabad said it would brief the Security Council on India’s “aggressive posture, recurring provocations, and incendiary rhetoric,” which it claims are jeopardizing both regional stability and international peace.
The Foreign Office also condemned India’s recent unilateral move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty — a landmark water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank — calling it a blatant breach of international law and long-standing diplomatic norms.
Pakistan urged the Security Council to act in accordance with its mandate to safeguard international peace and security, stressing the need for diplomatic de-escalation and adherence to international agreements.
The UNSC meeting comes amid growing global concerns over the potential fallout of heightened hostilities between India and Pakistan, particularly given their long history of conflict and their status as nuclear-armed states.
