Is the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session exclusively on Indian-held Kashmir a watershed moment for Pakistan and Kashmiris? Well, yes and no. Since UNSC did not agree on a joint statement, we have versions from Pakistan, China and India about the outcome of the session. Under the UNSC procedures, Pakistan and India were not allowed to sit in the session. Before going to examine the three separate stances, it should be noted that the UNSC session in itself negates India’s claim that its unilateral actions in occupied Kashmir are a domestic issue. The UNSC’s 90-minute closed-door debate was not meant to discuss a sovereign country’s internal matter. By holding the session, the world’s top forum has recognised Kashmir as a disputed territory. Modi government’s revocation of occupied Kashmir’s autonomy has landed the Kashmir issue in the UNSC within weeks for the first time after 1971 (or 1965), thanks to open support by China, and now the world may not keep steering clear of formally talking on the sensitive issue. Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi says the UNSC session vouches for the fact that the Kashmir issue is back to the international forum and the unchecked violence by Indian troops against Kashmiris is being discussed. She thanked the 15 members of the UNSC and repeated Pakistan’s longstanding demand to settle the issue peacefully. Indian diplomats say the UNSC has called upon both India and Pakistan to resolve the issue bilaterally under the Simla Agreement. Chinese diplomat Zhang Jun, who attended the session, said China showed serious concern over the situation. “The UNSC members are concerned about the human rights situation there and they (want) the parties concerned to refrain from taking any unilateral action that might further aggravate the tension there since the situation is already very tense and very dangerous,” he said. The session provided the UN with an opportunity to brief the members on the situation in India-held Kashmir; which is a significant move. If the session is judged on the basis of outcome, there is not much to see as the council even could not come up with a statement, the lowest level of action. This is not unprecedented at the UN as most of the time, world powers do not agree on words on the international issues. The very holding of the session is notable where Pakistan also won the support of Russia. Pakistan has been successful in internationalising the Kashmir issue. The session is over. When will the UNSC take up the Kashmir issue again? Kashmiris are dying every day at the hands of Indian troops. Their voice is being suppressed. Kashmiris need actions, not sessions, from the UN. *