Islamabad moves to brief UNSC on India’s provocations, Indus Treaty breach

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing regional tensions and fears of escalation, Pakistan has decided to formally approach the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to apprise world powers of India’s recent aggressive actions, including attempts to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and provocative military posturing following the Pahalgam attack.

The Foreign Office confirmed on Monday that Pakistan will call for an emergency UNSC session to present what it describes as “true facts” and urge the Council to fulfil its responsibility as the primary global body for maintaining peace and security.

“The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India is a grave breach of international obligations,” the Foreign Office said in a statement. “Coupled with inflammatory rhetoric and cross-border provocations, these steps pose a serious threat to regional and global stability.”

The directive to initiate diplomatic engagement at the UN level was issued by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who instructed Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, to immediately begin the process. The move, officials say, is part of Pakistan’s broader diplomatic outreach to build pressure on India and rally international support.

Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have flared since the April 22 attack in the Indian-administered town of Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead. India has hinted at cross-border involvement without providing evidence. Pakistan has strongly rejected the allegations and offered an international probe, reiterating that it has no interest in destabilisation, especially at a time when it is recovering from economic challenges.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim to share Islamabad’s perspective on the situation. He categorically denied any Pakistani involvement in the attack and invited Malaysia to participate in a proposed neutral international investigation.

“The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan is a frontline state in the global fight against terrorism,” read a statement from the PM Office. “It is unthinkable for Pakistan to engage in any activity that distracts from our counterterrorism priorities, especially on our western front.”

Foreign Minister Dar also held telephonic conversations with his counterparts in Malaysia and Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed concern over the situation and stressed the importance of diplomacy and restraint. Malaysia backed Pakistan’s call for a neutral investigation and urged both countries to avoid escalation.

In another diplomatic development, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Monday for high-level meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Foreign Minister Dar. The visit, according to the Foreign Office, reflects the two countries’ commitment to regional stability and deeper bilateral ties.

Meanwhile, the Greek presidency of the UNSC for May has signalled that it is open to convening a session on the South Asia situation. “If a request comes for a meeting, then I think this meeting should take place,” said Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, Greece’s permanent representative to the UN.

As the regional climate remains tense, Pakistan appears determined to internationalise the issue and build diplomatic pressure to contain what it views as a dangerous escalation driven by domestic politics in India.

“The world cannot afford another conflict between two nuclear states,” said one senior Pakistani official involved in the UN outreach. “Pakistan is doing its part to inform, de-escalate, and warn the global community before it's too late.”