Akbaruddin Criticizes China-Pakistan Influence in UN Decisions

Syed Akbaruddin, former Indian UN envoy, criticized China's support for Pakistan's inquiry demand into the Pahalgam attack, highlighting their influence on UN decisions. Despite international pressure, UNSC members challenged Pakistan’s narrative, questioning terrorist involvements and emphasizing accountability, with no official statement from the closed-door meeting.

Syed Akbaruddin, India's former permanent representative to the United Nations, has openly criticized the ongoing political maneuvers between Pakistan and China. He drew attention to how their closely-knit relationship continues to sway decisions within international bodies. Akbaruddin commented on China's backing of Pakistan's call for an investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, noting that decisions in these multilateral forums are often more influenced by political affiliations than by the actual case merits.

In a conversation with ANI, Akbaruddin remarked, "We need to understand that multilateral organizations are the arenas of geopolitical strategies. Countries often base their decisions not on the issue's merits but on their bilateral ties. The relationship between Pakistan and China is well known. In 2019, despite Pakistan not being a member of the Security Council, China tried to table this matter for discussion, akin to Pakistan's current approach. It failed to gain traction, even after Article 370 was revoked, showing that a permanent member couldn't make headway. The world is aware of the Chinese-Pakistani alliance, and it's recognized as a known pattern."

In response to intense global pressure following the Pahalgam incident, Pakistan urged an emergency UNSC consultation. However, during this closed-door meeting in New York, UNSC members confronted Pakistan's narrative. Sources revealed that members dismissed the 'false flag' narrative posed by Pakistan and pressed them on whether the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a sanctioned terror entity with strong Pakistan ties, might be implicated. Condemnation of the terrorism act was widespread, with an acknowledgment of accountability's necessity. Several members highlighted concerns about religiously-motivated targeting of tourists. No official statement followed the 'closed consultations' requested by Pakistan, which is a non-permanent UNSC member.

(With inputs from agencies.)