IIOJK attack: Pakistan secures diplomatic victory against India at UNSC

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Pakistan has scored a diplomatic victory at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after a statement on the Pahalgam attack avoided strong language and terminology previously used in similar incidents, notably the 2019 Pulwama attack.

The UNSC's condemnation of the April 22 attack, issued after a four-day delay, notably refrained from directly mentioning the Indian government, instead urging cooperation with "all relevant authorities."

Notably, the statement included the phrase “Jammu and Kashmir” — a point of contention — and omitted the word “Pahalgam,” a term New Delhi had lobbied to include in an effort to frame the location as an uncontested Indian territory.

Pakistan’s diplomatic mission actively engaged with Security Council members to ensure the exclusion of language it deemed biased.

The communique, initially proposed by the United States, ultimately failed to achieve consensus and was not adopted as an official resolution.

Indian diplomats were unable to push through key terms they had sought, while Pakistan successfully blocked what it described as “controversial language.” Islamabad’s efforts were also seen as reaffirming its position on Indiani-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed region under international scrutiny.

Tensions have surged between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since the attack, with New Delhi suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and Islamabad responding by closing its airspace to Indian airlines. Diplomatic channels have cooled, with both sides reducing high-level contacts.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and called for a “neutral, transparent and credible” investigation, offering Islamabad’s participation in any such probe.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that the situation could spiral into an “all-out war” if not carefully managed. In response to the growing hostility, Iran has offered to mediate between the two countries.

A day ago, India released additional water into the Jhelum River from the Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) without prior notice, prompting concerns of rising water levels.

As a result, the river is experiencing a flood-like situation, with a flow of 22,000 cusecs passing through the Domel area of Muzaffarabad.