Amid escalating tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives mostly tourists, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will convene a closed-door meeting on Monday to discuss the situation between India and Pakistan. According to PTI, the session was requested by Pakistan, which has been shaken by India’s firm retaliatory measures, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, cancellation of all Pakistani visas, and a complete ban on imports from Islamabad.

Pakistan, currently a non-permanent member of the 15-nation UNSC, made the formal request for emergency consultations under Greece’s presidency for May. The meeting is scheduled for the afternoon of May 5. The UNSC includes five permanent members with veto power China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US alongside 10 non-permanent members, namely Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia.

Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, Greece's Permanent Representative to the UN and current UNSC President, acknowledged the urgency of the request and noted that such consultations may help ease tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. He reaffirmed Greece's strong stance against terrorism and condemned the “heinous” Pahalgam attack, calling the issue of cross-border terrorism “very pertinent.”

Following the attack, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with multiple UNSC member states excluding China and Pakistan emphasizing the need to bring to justice those responsible for the attack. He also had a constructive dialogue with his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis, appreciating Greece’s firm position against terrorism and highlighting the depth of India-Greece strategic relations.

Jaishankar further engaged with key global leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, reinforcing India’s stance on cross-border terrorism and regional security.

In response to the Pahalgam attack, the UN strongly condemned the act of terror. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric urged both India and Pakistan to exercise “maximum restraint” and resolve their issues through peaceful dialogue and mutual engagement. Secretary-General Guterres also reached out to both Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reiterating the UN’s concern over rising tensions and stressing the importance of diplomacy in addressing such conflicts.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.