UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Antonio Guterres called Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday to urge the two countries to de-escalate tensions after a deadly attack last week in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Guterres “expressed his deep concern at rising tensions between India and Pakistan and underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences. He offered his Good Offices to support de-escalation efforts,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.-AFP
Zulfiqar Ahmad adds from Islamabad: In a significant development amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaged in a telephone conversation with United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on Tuesday, focusing on the deteriorating situation in South Asia.
During the call, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast position in condemning all forms of terrorism, emphasising the country’s sacrifices in the global fight against terror. He rejected India’s accusations that Pakistan was in any way linked to the Pahalgam incident, labelling them as “baseless” and calling for a transparent, impartial investigation into the attack. He expressed grave concern over India’s efforts to undermine the legitimate Kashmiri freedom movement by associating it with terrorism, while also highlighting India’s ongoing state-sponsored violence in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Sharif voiced particular alarm over India’s weaponisation of the waters of the Indus Basin, a move he deemed unacceptable, noting that the waters of the basin are vital to the lives of over 240 million Pakistanis.
While underscoring that Pakistan shall defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity with full force in case of any misadventure by India, the prime minister encouraged the UN Secretary General to counsel India to act responsibly and exercise restraint. Sharif emphasised that the unresolved issue of Jammu and Kashmir remained the root cause of instability in South Asia, and urged Guterres to play his due role for its just resolution, in accordance with relevant resolutions of the UNSC.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to promoting international peace and security, asserting the country’s role as a responsible member of the global community and a non-permanent member of the UNSC.
In response, Guterres commended Pakistan’s efforts to foster peace in South Asia, acknowledging the volatile state of the region. He emphasised that the world could not afford an escalation at this critical juncture.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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