Pahalgam terror attack: UNSC refuses to accept 'false flag' theory, questions Pakistan on LeT involvement

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members were in no mood for Pakistan's theories at its recent informal closed-door session on Monday. The deliberations took place amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, on April 22. 

During this closed-door meet, there was broad condemnation of the attack and recognition of the need for accountability as the UNSC raised tough questions for Islamabad.

The UNSC refused to accept the "false flag" narrative, which is being repeatedly peddled by Pakistani ministers and elites, news agency ANI reported, citing sources. Among those in Pakistan who labelled the Pahalgam terrorist attack as a "false flag" operation were Pakistani Punjab's Information Minister Azma Bokhari.

"They refused to accept the “false flag” narrative and asked whether LeT was likely to be involved," the sources said. 

A day after the attack, Bokhari said in a video clip: "Any misadventure by India under false flag pretext will have dire consequences." She also said in a statement that last time, Pakistan served tea but this time, the nation might not be so courteous. 

She referred to the Indian Air Force's operation targeting a terror camp in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which followed the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. Further, the UNSC also questioned Pakistan on the involvement of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the Pahalgam attack.

Some of the UNSC members specifically brought up that tourists were targeted based on their religion. Many of them were concerned that Pakistan's missile tests and nuclear weapon rhetoric could escalate the already worsening tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. 

On Monday, Pakistan conducted a training launch of a Fatah series surface-to-surface missile with a range of 120 km as part of the ongoing "Exercise Indus". India has held the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance after the Pahalgam attack. 

The members were also of the opinion that Pakistan's efforts to internationalize the situation have also failed, advising Islamabad to sort out the issues bilaterally with New Delhi. 

(With agency inputs)