Pakistan, China Work to Dilute UNSC Statement on Pahalgam Attack

Pakistan, currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, joined other nations in condemning the recent Pahalgam terror attack, but not before attempting — with China's support — to soften the language of the statement. While Islamabad denied involvement in the massacre, it had initially only expressed "concern" over the loss of life.

Unlike the UNSC’s reaction to the 2019 Pulwama attack, where member-states called for active cooperation with the "Government of India" to bring the perpetrators to justice, the Pahalgam statement referred only to "all relevant authorities". According to sources, Pakistan, wary of the statement boosting India's diplomatic position, pushed alongside China to omit direct reference to the Indian government during tough negotiations that preceded the consensus.

The statement, proposed by the US, reaffirmed the council's view that terrorism in all forms remains a grave threat to international peace and security, and that such acts are criminal and unjustifiable under any circumstances. However, subtle differences in wording — especially compared to previous UNSC condemnations, such as after the Pulwama attack and Pakistan’s own Jaffar Express train blast — reflected Islamabad’s efforts to limit diplomatic damage.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suggested a "neutral and transparent" investigation into the Pahalgam incident, instead of supporting Indian-led probes. The UNSC reiterated the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of the attack accountable.

A UN spokesperson, addressing the media on Saturday, said the organization continued to monitor the situation in the region "with very deep concern" and called on both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation.

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