UN Security Council to Hold Closed-Door Consultations on India-Pakistan Tensions on May 5

Quick Highlights:

1. Pakistan formally requested UNSC meet over rising tensions with India post-Pahalgam attack.


2. Greek presidency of the Council scheduled closed consultations for May 5 afternoon.


3. Tensions flared after April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians.


4. Greece and other UNSC members condemn terrorism; India reaches out to global leaders for support.


5. Pakistan calls Kashmir situation a threat to international peace, pushes for Council discussion.




—

New York, May 2 – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold closed-door consultations on May 5 to discuss the escalating situation between India and Pakistan, following a formal request by Islamabad amid mounting regional tensions.

The move comes in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed, including students from Nepal. The attack has led to a sharp rise in hostilities between the two South Asian nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan, currently a non-permanent member of the 15-nation UNSC, requested the meeting citing a deteriorating security situation. Greece, which holds the Council presidency for May, confirmed the meeting would take place in a closed format on Monday afternoon.

Greek Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris stated that while tensions are high, such consultations could serve to ease hostilities. He also reiterated Greece’s position: “We strongly condemn any act of terrorism… We express our condolences to the governments of India, Nepal, and the families of the victims.”

India, meanwhile, has engaged in extensive diplomatic outreach. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has held discussions with 13 of the 14 other Council members, excluding China and Pakistan, to underline India’s position on cross-border terrorism and the need for justice against perpetrators and sponsors of the Pahalgam attack.

Jaishankar spoke with the UN Secretary General António Guterres, as well as foreign ministers from the U.S., Russia, U.K., France, South Korea, Denmark, Algeria, Guyana, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Panama, and Greece. He thanked the Greek foreign minister for standing firmly against terrorism and emphasized the strength of the India-Greece strategic partnership.

At a press conference, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, defended the decision to convene the meeting, citing a worsening security climate in Kashmir and a potential threat to regional and international peace. Ahmad emphasized that the Security Council is empowered to take up such issues and that Pakistan has the right to call for consultations when necessary.

UNSC members are reportedly concerned about the potential for escalation, particularly given the history of military confrontations between India and Pakistan and the sensitive nature of Kashmir as a long-standing dispute.

While no public outcome is expected from the closed consultations, the meeting signifies a rare international spotlight on the India-Pakistan conflict. Analysts suggest the session may provide key members an opportunity to urge restraint and de-escalation through diplomatic channels.