Pakistan plans another diplomatic gimmick: Eyes Kashmir spotlight as UNSC President

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

As Pakistan’s month-long presidency of the UN Security Council (UNSC) nears its end, the country is reportedly resorting to its familiar tactics by planning an open debate on unresolved global disputes, according to a report by The Times of India.

The debate will be followed by a call for member states to utilize existing mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Although Pakistan is unlikely to mention Jammu and Kashmir directly in the resolution fearing a potential vet this move is widely seen as yet another attempt to draw attention to the issue. However, Jammu and Kashmir remains an integral part of India. A UNSC resolution can only be adopted if it secures at least nine votes and avoids a veto from any of the five permanent member

“This will likely be a broad, conceptual resolution focused on general principles rather than specific issues, to avoid objections,” says Syed Akbaruddin, former Indian Ambassador to the UN.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, will travel to New York to chair the debate on 22 July. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is also expected to brief the meeting.

Will Pakistan be able to get the resolution passed? 

Pakistan is aware that, aside from China, the other permanent members of the UNSC continue to regard Kashmir as a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan.

According to the Security Council Report, Pakistan is seeking to pass a resolution encouraging the full use of mechanisms outlined under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. Article 33 of this chapter calls on parties to any dispute that threatens international peace to resolve it through mediation, arbitration, or “other peaceful means of their own choice.”

This particular clause reinforces India’s long-standing position that issues with Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally, as emphasized in the Simla and Lahore Declarations.

While acknowledging the UNSC’s responsibility in maintaining international peace and security, many member states have consistently stressed that such efforts must uphold national sovereignty and cannot enforce solutions without the consent of all parties involved.

This open debate comes after a closed-door session initiated by Pakistan on May 5, following the Pahalgam terror attack, in yet another attempt to internationalize Kashmir.

Pakistan is also planning a separate event during its UNSC presidency to promote ties between the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-nation bloc that routinely echoes Pakistan’s narrative on Kashmir.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 innocent lives. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, conducting targeted precision strikes on nine terror-related infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).