UN Security Council to Convene on Rising India-Pakistan Tensions Following Pahalgam Attack

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set to convene on Monday for closed-door consultations to address mounting tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The session has been called at Pakistan’s request, following Islamabad’s threats to bring India’s “aggressive actions, provocations, and provocative statements” to the international forum. Notably, Pakistan intends to highlight India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a step announced just a day after the Pahalgam tragedy.

“In view of the deteriorating regional environment and rising tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which presents a serious risk of escalation and poses a threat to both regional and international peace and security, Pakistan has formally requested emergency closed consultations of the United Nations Security Council,” read a statement from Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN, posted on X. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan's Permanent Representative, will address the media following the council’s deliberations on the afternoon of May 5.

India is expected to use the meeting as an opportunity to spotlight Pakistan’s own culpability in orchestrating and supporting terror activities across the region, aiming to expose Islamabad’s role before the global community.

Greece's Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, the current UNSC President, had earlier issued a statement condemning the Pahalgam attack while acknowledging concerns over escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. “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,” Ambassador Sekeris said.

The Security Council had swiftly denounced the April 22 attack, calling for those responsible—including its perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors—to be brought to justice.

In response to the attack, India undertook several stringent measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, revoking visas issued to Pakistani nationals, immediately closing the Attari-Wagah border, and banning numerous Pakistani social media accounts and YouTube channels disseminating disinformation against India.

As global attention turns to the UNSC meeting, both nations are poised to present contrasting narratives—Pakistan as the aggrieved party seeking international intervention, and India determined to expose the root causes of regional instability.