Pakistan's Obsession with India Surfaces at UNSC Maritime Security Debate

UN Security Council Discusses Maritime Security

United Nations: During a recent discussion on maritime security, the United Nations Security Council expressed its concerns regarding terrorism at sea. However, Pakistan attempted to divert the conversation towards the Indus River issue, showcasing its ongoing fixation with India, irrespective of the topic at hand.

Pakistan's Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, indirectly referenced India as 'one major country' while accusing it of misappropriating shared natural resources, including transboundary rivers, in violation of treaty obligations and principles of good neighborliness.

Following a tragic incident where the terrorist group The Resistance Front, allegedly backed by Pakistan, killed 26 individuals in Pahalgam last month, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty.

In response to this action, Ahmad claimed that India was 'leveraging geography' to disadvantage Pakistan, the lower riparian state.

By using vague references instead of naming India directly, Ahmad aimed to prevent India from exercising its right to reply and countering his claims.

India's Permanent Representative, P. Harish, chose to disregard Ahmad's comments during the session.

Ahmad also expressed dissatisfaction over Pakistan's exclusion from the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), a coalition of 23 nations focused on maritime cooperation and counter-terrorism efforts.

He lamented that the 'coercive diplomacy' of 'the one major country' has systematically marginalized neighboring states from regional maritime security initiatives, including the IORA.

India, which initiated the formation of the IORA, opposes Pakistan's membership due to its connections with terrorism. Ahmad further criticized India's 'aggressive naval expansion,' noting Pakistan's reliance on military support from China and Turkey, as it lacks the capability to maintain an aircraft carrier.