Pakistan urges UNSC to resolve escalating tensions in South Asia

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take action to defuse tensions in South Asia for global and regional peace.

Pakistan Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar, while addressing the press after the special meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, said Indian actions are threatening peace and stability in the region, and dialogue is the only way out.

He said Kashmir is a long–standing issue between Pakistan and India, and the issues remain unresolved decades later, 70 years to be exact. He said the atrocities of Indian occupiers against innocent and oppressed Kashmiris continue unabated.

Asim Iftikhar told Council members that Pakistan is prepared to cooperate in any fact–finding, impartial, and independent investigation into the Pahalgam incident.

The Permanent Representative of Pakistan also raised the issue of India keeping the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Read more: PM Shehbaz discusses Pak-India tensions with UN chief in another phone call.

Talking to journalists after speaking to the Security Council, Guterres expressed deep concern at the worsening state of relations, which he said had reached sustainable “high that they had not reached their highest in a year.”

He repeated his condemnation of the 22 April terror attack in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, which killed at least 26 civilians and injured many others.

“Attacking civilians is not acceptable – and those responsible need to be held accountable through credible and lawful methods,“ the UN chief said.

“It is also critical – especially at this very sensitive hour – to avoid a military confrontation that could easily lead to larger consequences.“ At the conclusion of the session, Ambassador Asim will provide a statement to the press.