- Says peace can only be achieved through diplomacy and dialogue
ISLAMABAD, February 16: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed “deep concerns” over prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan over the issue of Kashmir, urging the both sides to exercise “maximum restraint”.
He said while addressing a joint press conference along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi following his visit to the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Sunday.
Responding to questions, Guterres said that the UN has taken several steps for the de-escalation of the tension between the two nuclear-armed states in the wake of New Delhi’s unilateral move to revoke the special status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in August last year.
“We have offered our good offices to Pakistan and India for negotiations but that is only possible when the both sides agree,” he said while urging that the peace can only be achieved “through diplomacy and dialogue”.
UN chief urges world to ‘show similar leadership as Pakistan has shown’
The visiting secretary general emphasised the need to respect human rights in the disputed territory, which has been under complete military lockdown for over 190 days, and implementation of relevant UN resolutions regarding Kashmir region.
The UN chief said that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is continuously monitoring the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control. Speaking on the occasion, FM Qureshi said that he had very “interesting and rewarding” meeting with Gutrres in which he briefed him on the challenging issues including Kashmir and escalating tensions along the LoC.
He said that Pakistan has always preferred multilateralism over unilateralism and the Modi-led government had revoked the special status of Kashmir unilaterally.
The foreign minister also thanked the UN chief for raising his voice for the people of Occupied Kashmir.
Antonio Guterres acknowledged Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, saying he can testify measures taken by the government in Islamabad for the eradication of militancy from the country.
The UN general secretary said that he had witnessed the worst time period when the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had wreaked havoc across the country and it had even expanded near up till Islamabad.
“They [TTP] had overrun the Swat valley,” he said while acknowledging that the law and order has remarkably improved in the country that the UN last year declared Pakistan as its family station.
“Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism are remarkable… the whole world needs to support Pakistan’s enormous efforts against terrorism,” he said.
Speaking on the issue of Islamophobia, Guterres said that it absolutely unacceptable like other forms of intolerance “be it against refugee and other forms of religious hatred”.
Hate speech, he said, is one of the most important forms of Islamophobia. “The UN has recently launched global initiative against the hate speech.”
He added: “This is unacceptable that people win power while dividing the people.”
The general secretary also lauded Pakistan’s move of opening Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh community, saying it is a symbol of interfaith harmony and it will promote “peace in the region”.-Agencies
