China puts Kashmir on United Nations agenda to boost isolated Pakistan’s cause
- Security Council members’ differing interests expected to play out at informal meeting in aftermath of India’s decision to split the contested Himalayan region
At the request of China and its close ally Pakistan, the council is expected to hold an informal, closed-door meeting on Kashmir on Friday morning for the first time since the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
China’s high-stakes international move to help Islamabad challenge New Delhi’s controversial decision to scrap autonomy for the region would expose the differing positions Beijing and other world powers had on the issue, diplomatic observers said.
The rare Security Council consultation came as Pakistan accused India of “unprovoked firing” along the heavily militarised Line of Control in Kashmir, killing three soldiers and two civilians.
Pakistan’s military said in a statement on Thursday that its troops returned fire and killed five Indian soldiers, but the Indian Army denied there were any Indian casualties.
Islamabad appears to be diplomatically isolated, with China becoming its only supporter at the 15-member UN Security Council, since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the bold move last week to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir.