United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres avoided directly addressing a question on Jammu and Kashmir during a joint press conference in Islamabad, instead focusing on what he described as a growing crisis of legitimacy and effectiveness within the UN Security Council.

Guterres is in Pakistan on a three-day official visit and appeared alongside Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar when a Pakistani journalist raised the issue of UN Security Council resolutions relating to Jammu and Kashmir.

Rather than commenting on the dispute, the UN chief reiterated his view that problems should be resolved through peace and dialogue and said his good offices remained available whenever required.

Shifting the discussion towards global governance, Guterres argued that the Security Council no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical realities. He pointed to the imbalance in permanent representation, noting that Europe has multiple permanent members while Africa has none, a situation he said undermines both the body's legitimacy and its effectiveness.

The Secretary-General used the occasion to renew his long-standing call for comprehensive Security Council reform. He warned that the international system is facing increasing strain as major powers and even permanent members of the Council are sometimes involved in conflicts and accused of violating international law, weakening confidence in the rules-based order.

According to Guterres, this environment encourages states to believe that actions can be taken without meaningful consequences. He argued that a more representative and credible Security Council is essential if international law is to be enforced consistently and if multilateral institutions are to retain global confidence.

His remarks came amid broader discussions in Pakistan on regional security, multilateral diplomacy and international conflict resolution. During the visit, Pakistani leaders have also highlighted issues including Jammu and Kashmir, Afghanistan and regional stability in meetings with the UN chief.

At the same time, India delivered a sharp response to Pakistan at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Arusha, Tanzania. Exercising India's right of reply, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh criticised Pakistan for raising Kashmir-related issues at a forum that he said was not meant for such discussions.

Harivansh accused Pakistan of repeatedly politicising international platforms and making what he described as baseless allegations against India. Reaffirming New Delhi's position, he stated that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have always been and will remain integral and inalienable parts of India.

India's rebuttal also came against the backdrop of heightened tensions following the 22 April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. India blamed Pakistan-backed terrorists for the assault and subsequently launched Operation Sindoor against terrorist infrastructure and training facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The subsequent escalation saw Indian strikes on Pakistani airbases before a ceasefire was reached. The three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were later eliminated during Operation Mahadev by the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police, according to Indian authorities.

The developments once again highlighted the sharp differences between India and Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir, even as the UN Secretary-General sought to steer the conversation towards dialogue, multilateralism and reform of international institutions.

ANI