Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP and former UN Under-Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor has offered a sharp analysis of the recent closed-door consultations held by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. Drawing on his experience as a diplomat, Tharoor suggested that while Pakistan may have hoped to steer the narrative in its favor, the reality within the Council chambers appears to have unfolded quite differently.

With only Security Council member states allowed into the confidential session, specific details remain murky. However, leaked reports indicate that several nations posed pointed questions to Islamabad, particularly concerning the involvement of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which initially claimed responsibility for the massacre that killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

“Pakistan may have believed that, with India absent, it had the upper hand in the discussion,” Tharoor noted. “But indications suggest the tables turned, with multiple delegations challenging them firmly—especially on Lashkar-e-Taiba’s role.”

Despite the scrutiny faced by Pakistan, Tharoor cautioned against expecting any concrete action from the Security Council. “I’m certain no resolution will emerge criticizing Pakistan—China would block it. Likewise, no resolution against India would pass either, as many nations would oppose it. What we’ll see is vague language urging peace and condemning terrorism in general terms,” he explained in an interview with ANI.

The Congress leader characterized this diplomatic deadlock as “the sad reality” of how the Security Council operates, where political interests often stifle decisive outcomes. “No major shift will come from this forum, whether through formal resolutions or informal consensus,” he added.

While Pakistan is currently among the 10 non-permanent members of the Council and was present at the session, India was not. Nonetheless, Tharoor suggested that many member states recognized the asymmetry and resisted accepting a one-sided narrative. “Some countries might even advocate for another meeting to hear India’s perspective, which would be a fairer process,” he remarked.

Although no official communique has been released by the UNSC or the Indian government, the initial impressions emerging from diplomatic channels suggest a firm international disapproval of the Pahalgam attack and a growing awareness of Pakistan’s continued sheltering of extremist elements.

Tharoor summed it up with quiet candor: “This is not a platform that will deliver justice or clarity. But even within its limits, the fact that Pakistan faced tough questions should not be underestimated.”

As the world watches closely, the episode underlines the increasingly transparent divide between diplomatic theatre and the hard truths on the ground in South Asia.