In response to the alarming deterioration in relations between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held closed-door consultations on Monday, calling for calm and dialogue. The meeting, convened at Pakistan’s request, came in the wake of an attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including a Nepali national.
The consultations were chaired by Greece, which holds the presidency of the UNSC for May. Contrary to expectations, the meeting was not held in the formal horseshoe chamber but in a private consultations room adjacent to it. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Mohamed Khiari, representing both the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and Peace Operations (DPO), briefed the Council. Khiari described the situation between India and Pakistan as “volatile” and emphasized the global body’s call for a peaceful resolution.
Global Leaders Push for De-escalation
UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a passionate appeal just hours before the consultations began. He condemned the Pahalgam attack, calling it one of the most horrific in recent years and expressed his concern over the rapidly intensifying tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Guterres strongly denounced the targeting of civilians and reiterated the need for justice through credible and lawful means. Stressing that “a military solution is no solution,” he urged both nations to exercise maximum restraint.
Speaking to the press from the UN stakeout, Guterres said he understood the “raw feelings” following the attack but emphasized the urgent need to step back from the brink of further escalation. “Now is the time for restraint, dialogue, and responsible leadership,” he stated, warning that any military escalation could spiral out of control.
Pakistan’s Push Rebuffed by UNSC Members
Despite initiating the meeting, Pakistan faced strong pushback from multiple Security Council members. Sources reported that Islamabad’s attempt to internationalize the issue and shift blame was met with skepticism. Council members, including permanent ones such as the US, UK, and France, focused on the need for Pakistan to crack down on terror groups operating within its borders. The involvement of the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Pahalgam attack was raised, and members condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians, particularly tourists, which was seen as an attempt to incite communal tensions.
Pakistan’s missile tests and its nuclear rhetoric were also flagged as deeply concerning and escalatory in nature. The attempt by Pakistan to present the attack as a “false flag operation” failed to gain traction, and the prevailing view among Council members leaned towards bilateral resolution, rather than international intervention.
India’s Diplomatic Stand Reaffirmed
India, though not directly participating in the meeting, maintained its strong position against Pakistan’s attempt to politicize the Security Council. Former Indian UN envoy Syed Akbaruddin dismissed the consultations as another instance of Pakistan’s “grandstanding,” emphasizing that no consequential outcome was expected. “Indian diplomacy has once again parried Pakistani efforts to seek intervention from the Security Council,” he remarked after the meeting.
India has taken firm actions post-attack, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, cancelling visa services for Pakistani citizens, and closing its airspace to Pakistani aircraft. These measures were described as a signal of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
While no official statement was released after the 90-minute consultations, the message from the global body was clear: restraint, justice, and diplomacy must guide both nations through this period of heightened tension.
