In a major setback for Pakistan, the United Nations Security Council said that it has no plans to take up the Kashmir issue.

“We have not picked Kashmir because the Security Council had an opportunity to discuss it recently and we have not been asked by any other Security Council member to schedule a meeting,” said Karen Pierce, the British Permanent Representative who is heading the Security Council this month.

Pakistan had on Thursday rejected the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, terming the changes as “illegal and void as per relevant UNSC resolutions”.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had in October ruled out any action on Kashmir or even issuing a joint statement, dealing a huge blow to Pakistan which has been trying to internationalise New Delhi’s move to abrogate Article 370.

“In the Council, I don’t see that in the near future there will be a joint statement on Jammu and Kashmir,” then UNSC President Jerry Matthews Matjila said according to IANS, recalling that the divided Security Council could not even agree on a one-paragraph statement at its August meeting on Kashmir.

In a major diplomatic victory for India, the United Nations Security Council in a “closed consultation” in August acknowledged India’s measures to bring normalcy and development to Kashmir and wanted all countries to follow suit.

Barring China, the world accepted India’s position including the Arab world, formerly sponsors and supporters of Pakistan.

The consultative meeting was called by China, Pakistan’s all-weather ally, on Islamabad’s request to discuss the prevailing situation in the Valley.

The rare closed-door consultations on Kashmir ended without any outcome or statement from the powerful 15-nation UN organ, dealing a huge snub to Pakistan and its all-weather ally China.

Pakistan suffered several setbacks on various fronts in its bid to target India on the issue.

Following its failure at the UNSC, Pakistan knocked the doors of the UNHRC where it met with a similar fate. The issue was also strongly raised at the UNGA session but turned out to be a disappointment for Pakistan once again.