Pakistan’s UN Gambit Backfires: Tharoor on India-Pakistan Tensions
Pakistan’s UN Gambit Backfires: Tharoor on India-Pakistan Tensions
Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate following the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22nd, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. In the wake of this event, Congress MP and former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor shed light on the recent closed-door United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, called by Pakistan.
The meeting, which ended without a resolution or joint statement, effectively isolated Islamabad on the global stage. Tharoor, speaking to ANI, said, ‘Pakistan thought they had an advantage, but the impression we are getting is that a number of delegations asked very tough questions.'”
Tough Questions for Pakistan
Sources reveal that UNSC members grilled Pakistan on several fronts, including its alleged links to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terror group that initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan’s attempts to internationalize the incident by reviving the Kashmir issue and accusing India of military buildup also reportedly backfired. No other member country, not even close ally China, joined Pakistan’s press statement after the meeting. Instead, concerns were raised about Pakistan’s nuclear rhetoric, recent missile tests, and its failure to curb cross-border terrorism.
Limited Impact of UN Consultations
Drawing from his UN experience, Tharoor noted the limitations of such consultations. ‘I am quite confident that the Council will not pass a resolution criticizing Pakistan because China will veto it, and they will not pass a resolution criticizing us as many countries will object to it and probably veto it,’ he explained. ‘It is going to be more of a call for peace.’ Tharoor added, ‘That is the sad reality of the way these things function.’
A Call for Peace Amidst Rising Tensions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, earlier in the day, had warned that tensions between the two countries had reached their highest point in years, calling for restraint and emphasizing that ‘targeting civilians is unacceptable’ and that accountability must follow ‘credible and lawful means.’ The UNSC meeting concluded without concrete action, but Tharoor’s assessment captures the reality: Pakistan sought to put the global spotlight on India but found itself facing the heat instead.
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