New York, May 6, 2025: Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to uphold its own resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, warning that India’s recent actions, particularly after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, have dangerously heightened tensions in South Asia and threaten regional and global peace.
Addressing the media following a rare in-camera session of the Security Council convened at Pakistan’s request, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, stressed that the Kashmir dispute remains the “core issue” between Pakistan and India, unresolved for more than seven decades.
“Durable peace in South Asia is not possible without resolving the Kashmir issue, and that resolution must include the will of the Kashmiri people,” Ambassador Iftikhar said. “India’s recent steps are not just provocative; they endanger regional stability and global security.”
The ambassador raised alarm over the deteriorating human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), alleging ongoing repression and suffering of civilians under Indian military presence. “The international community must not avert its eyes from the grave violations taking place in Kashmir,” he added.
Responding to Indian allegations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack, Iftikhar reiterated Islamabad’s categorical denial and reiterated Pakistan’s offer to support an “impartial, transparent, and international investigation.” He reminded the global community of Pakistan’s significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, including over 90,000 casualties.
“Pakistan has always opted for dialogue and diplomacy over confrontation,” he noted. “But let me be clear—we will never compromise on our sovereignty or territorial integrity.”
Ambassador Iftikhar also criticized India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a flagrant violation of international law. “Weaponizing water is not only illegal—it is immoral,” he stated, confirming that the issue had been formally raised during the Security Council session.
He welcomed the Council’s attention to Pakistan’s concerns, saying the closed-door meeting underscored the urgency of diplomatic re-engagement on Kashmir at the highest levels. “The credibility of the Security Council rests on its ability to enforce its own resolutions,” he asserted. “Peace must be anchored in justice—not unilateralism.”
The UNSC session was chaired by Khaled Khiari, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific. It included a comprehensive briefing on the current security dynamics in the region before Ambassador Iftikhar addressed the body.
With tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors at a boiling point, Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic outreach, urging the international community to mediate and push for a just and lasting resolution to the Kashmir dispute.
