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As UNSC president, Pakistan steps up quiet push on Kashmir
As it nears the end of its month-long presidency of the UN Security Council, Pakistan is preparing a diplomatic push aimed at internationalising the
Kashmir issue
, though not by name. Islamabad is planning to hold an open debate on July 22 on the peaceful settlement of global disputes, followed by a draft resolution that calls on countries to use existing UN mechanisms for conflict resolution, as per TOI.
Pakistani deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar will chair the session, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expected to brief the Council. The resolution will urge member states to invoke Chapter VI of the UN Charter, particularly Article 33, which encourages mediation, arbitration and other peaceful methods of resolving disputes.
But the resolution is likely to avoid any direct reference to Jammu & Kashmir. 'The generic resolution which will most likely be conceptual in nature will focus on general principles not specific issues to avoid any objections,' said Syed Akbaruddin, former Indian ambassador to the UN.
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That's partly because any mention of Kashmir risks a veto. Resolutions at the UNSC require at least nine affirmative votes and no veto from any of the five permanent members. Apart from China, the other P5 countries continue to view Kashmir as a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, something India has consistently reinforced, citing the Simla and Lahore Declarations.
Islamabad's move comes after it called closed-door consultations on May 5 following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Now, it's turning to more public forums, hoping to keep the issue alive diplomatically without triggering procedural blocks.
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Pakistan is also using its final stretch at the helm of the UNSC to host another signature event aimed at strengthening ties between the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The meeting, listed under the UN's agenda on cooperation with regional and subregional organisations, will bring together OIC members, including Algeria, Somalia, Sierra Leone, and Guyana—four current non-permanent members of the UNSC.
That event, too, is expected to feature messaging supportive of Pakistan's Kashmir position. But tensions between the Council and the OIC, especially over issues like Israel's actions in Gaza or US strikes on Iran, could complicate any united messaging. India has repeatedly accused the OIC of being used by Pakistan to push its narrative while turning a blind eye to Islamabad's support for cross-border terrorism.
Any mention of Kashmir during the OIC session is likely to be met with a sharp response from New Delhi.
With inputs from TOI
