United Nations: In a firm response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has strongly condemned the incident, calling it a “reprehensible act of terrorism” and urging that all those responsible—perpetrators, organisers, financiers, and sponsors—be brought to justice.
In a press statement issued by the 15-member Council, the UNSC members expressed deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the governments of India and Nepal, reaffirming their commitment to combatting terrorism in all its forms. The attack killed 26 civilians, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, most of whom were tourists.
“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers, and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable,” the statement read.
“They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities.”
The UNSC press statement—a consensus document representing the collective position of all 15 members—was released under the presidency of France, which holds the rotating presidency for April. Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s Permanent Representative to the UN, issued the statement on behalf of the Council.
It is understood that the United States initiated the draft statement, which was later agreed upon by all members, including Pakistan, which currently serves as a non-permanent member of the Council. Press statements from the UNSC require unanimous consent and are considered significant diplomatic signals.
UN Reiterates Commitment to Fight Terrorism
The Council reaffirmed that terrorism remains one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of motive, location, or perpetrator.
“The Council reiterated the need for all States to combat terrorism by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and obligations under international human rights, refugee, and humanitarian law.”
UN Secretary-General Follows Situation with “Deep Concern”
Separately, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, reiterated his condemnation of the attack and expressed deep concern over rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
“We continue to follow the situation with very deep concern,” Dujarric said at a press briefing on Friday. “We urge both the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further.”
Responding to a question on whether the Secretary-General would engage with the leadership of India and Pakistan, Dujarric said updates could be expected once Guterres returns from Rome, where he is attending Pope Francis’s funeral.
When asked whether the UN was giving enough attention to a crisis involving two nuclear-armed nations, Dujarric firmly responded:
“Let me just say, I don’t agree with your comment… We are paying very close attention to the situation between India and Pakistan.”
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