Pakistan once again raised the Kashmir issue and the Indus Waters Treaty dispute with India during a high-level open debate at the United Nations Security Council. Speaking as Pakistan holds the presidency of the UNSC for July, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar emphasized Kashmir’s “right to self-determination” and criticised New Delhi’s decision to suspend the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty.
“Jammu and Kashmir remains one of the oldest disputes on the agenda of the UN Security Council… No cosmetic measures can substitute the fundamental and inalienable right of self-determination of the Kashmiris,” Dar said, referring to UN resolutions on the matter.
Turning to the Indus Waters Treaty, Dar accused India of “illegally and unilaterally” placing the 1960 agreement into abeyance following the April Pahalgam terror attacks. He alleged that India’s move was intended to restrict water flow to Pakistan, jeopardising the livelihoods of nearly 240 million people.
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, is often cited as a successful example of sustained diplomacy between hostile neighbours, surviving even during times of war and conflict.
India is expected to deliver a strong rebuttal in its right to reply, especially as Islamabad looks to increase the visibility of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the UN. Pakistan has planned two key events during its UNSC presidency, including a briefing on the OIC-UN partnership. The OIC, which has 57 member states, has routinely criticised India’s handling of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
India is likely to voice concerns over the growing influence of the OIC within the UN framework, especially as the grouping has taken adversarial positions against New Delhi on several global platforms.
The diplomatic tug-of-war at the UN underscores persistent tensions between India and Pakistan on core issues, with both sides poised to assert their narratives in coming days.
