Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, has said that Islamabad has serious reservations over its arch-rival’s recent actions following the Pahalgam incident, which have posed serious threats to the region’s peace and security.
The Kashmir dispute stands unresolved today even after more than 70 years, the envoy said while briefing the media following the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) in-camera session, which was convened at Pakistan’s request amid escalating tensions with India after the attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“The Kashmir dispute is the core issue between Pakistan and India and it must be resolved in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” he noted.
A peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute is not possible without the involvement of the Kashmiri people, he said. He also remarked that lasting peace in the region was not possible without resolving this core issue.
Drawing the world’s attention to the human rights situation in the IIOJK, he said that innocent civilians continue to face oppression and atrocities at the hands of the Indian forces.
Islamabad has repeatedly said and once again says that it has nothing to do with the Pahalgam incident, he stressed, noting that Pakistan is willing to offer complete cooperation in an independent, transparent and international investigation.
The ambassador reminded the international community that Pakistan had been the frontline state in the global fight against terrorism and sacrificed more than 90,000 lives in this fight.
Ambassador Iftikhar reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Pakistan has the right to defend itself,” he observed.
Pakistan’s envoy to the UN expressed strong concerns over India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a breach of international law. He noted that the matter had also been raised during the UNSC meeting.
He reiterated that it was vital to act upon the Security Council’s resolutions for durable peace in the region.
Iftikhar said that Pakistan prefers dialogue to resolve all issues with its neighbours, as dialogues are the only viable path to peace.
He thanked the Security Council for convening the meeting, which he said was aimed at discussing the current situation.
At the start of the Security Council’s session, Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific briefed the member states, according to diplomats.
Later, Ambassador Iftikhar shed light on the issue.
Ahead of the 15-member body’s meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “maximum restraint” from India and Pakistan, warning that escalating tensions over a recent deadly terror attack in Kashmir risk spiraling into an outright military confrontation.
Addressing journalists outside the Security Council, Guterres expressed deep concern over deteriorating relations between the two South Asian neighbours, saying they had reached “their highest in years.”
He reiterated his condemnation of the April 22 terror attack in the Pahalgam area, which killed at least 26 civilians and injured many more.
“Targeting civilians is unacceptable – and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means,” the UN chief said.
“It is also essential – especially at this critical hour – to avoid a military confrontation that could easily spin out of control.”
