KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Concerned over the tensions across the LoC, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s top aide has asked India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and resolve their differences peacefully.
In the wake of the surgical strikes conducted by India targeting seven terror launch pads across the LoC, Ban’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the UN is “obviously following this situation with great concern” relating to the increase of tensions across the Line of Control.
“The UN Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan, UNMOGIP, is aware of the ceasefire violations and right now is liaising with the concerned authorities to obtain further information,” he told reporters on Thursday.
He said the United Nations calls on the governments of India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint and encourages them to continue their effort to resolve their differences peacefully and through dialogue”.
When asked about the SAARC summit, which was slated to be held in Islamabad in November, Dujarric said he “had not seen the reports of the cancellation of the SAARC summit”.
India has said it will not participate in the summit citing the continuous “cross-border terrorism” by Pakistan.
After India’s announcement, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan too decided not to participate in the summit, citing “incitement of terror” in the region.
The UN has long maintained an institutional presence in the contested area between India and Pakistan.
According to the Security Council mandate given in resolution 307 of 1971, the UNMOGIP observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the LoC and the working boundary between the two neighbours in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as reports developments that could lead to ceasefire violations.
Internationalizing the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the matter in 71st session of the UN General Assembly and almost every world leader he held bilateral talks with on the side lines of the UNGA session.
