Clutching at straws, Pakistan set to force Kashmir into UN discourse; India ready to call its bluff

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar speaks at the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization For Mediation at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Hong Kong on May 30, 2025.

Pakistan seems set to misuse its temporary position as the president of the UN Security Council this July to internationalise the Kashmir issue once again -- a move India is expected to counter with a firm response. As per a report by Hindustan Times, Islamabad is planning two key events during its presidency, aiming to raise both the Kashmir dispute and the role of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the global body.

The first is a high-level open debate on the peaceful settlement of international disputes – a vague theme that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar will chair this week. While the debate may appear generic on paper, sources told Hindustan Times that Pakistan is keen to inject references to Kashmir into the discussion. India is understood to be preparing a strong counter-statement.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, did little to conceal the country’s intentions at a press conference on July 1. “It is time for the Kashmir dispute to be addressed,” he said, adding: “This is not solely Pakistan’s responsibility — we are here temporarily, serving a two-year term as a non-permanent member.”

He further claimed, “It is incumbent upon the Council, especially the permanent members, to take concrete steps to ensure the implementation of their own resolutions.”

Pakistan’s second planned event is a briefing on the OIC’s cooperation with the UN, which will again be chaired by Dar. The OIC, a 57-member bloc of largely Muslim nations, has repeatedly criticised India over its internal affairs in Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Islamabad is expected to push for a greater formal role for the OIC at the UN, attempting to elevate the group's standing as a regional partner.

While the UN General Assembly in November 2024 passed a resolution supporting increased cooperation with the OIC on matters like security and humanitarian aid, India has serious concerns. As HT reports, New Delhi is wary of the OIC’s deeply politicised stance and its geographic incoherence, with members scattered across three continents and little institutional coherence.

Pakistan’s month-long presidency will end on July 31, after which Panama will take over. Islamabad’s bid to amplify anti-India narratives at the UN, despite its short-term role, has raised alarms in diplomatic circles. India, meanwhile, continues its campaign for a non-permanent UNSC seat in the 2028–29 term, far more confident in its global standing than Pakistan’s rhetoric-driven diplomacy.