UN Chief offers ‘Mediation’ to resolve Kashmir

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on India and Pakistan to resolve their outstanding issues, including Kashmir, peacefully through diplomacy and dialogue and said his “good offices” are available, if accepted by both sides.
A statement issued here yesterday by Ban’s spokesman said that the UN Chief is “deeply concerned” over the “significant increase” in tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the recent developments, in particular the “reported cease-fire violations” along the Line of Control following an attack on an Indian army base in Uri on September 18.
“The Secretary-General urges both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation,” the statement said.
Ban called on the governments of India and Pakistan to address their “outstanding issues, including regarding Kashmir, peacefully through diplomacy and dialogue”.
The statement added that Ban’s good offices are available to India and Pakistan, if “accepted by both sides”. India claimed to have conducted surgical strikes on the intervening night of September 28 and 29 targeting seven militant launch pads across the Line of Control.
New Delhi has blamed the Uri attack as well as the January 2 Pathankot attack, which left seven Indian security personnel dead, on Pakistan-based militants.
The attacks and Pakistan’s raking up the Kashmir issue have led to sharp deterioration in bilateral ties.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “India will not forget the sacrifices of the soldiers killed in the Uri attack and will isolate Pakistan.”
India this week moved in the direction of diplomatically isolating Pakistan, by pulling out from the SAARC summit scheduled in Islamabad in November, citing increasing terrorism in the region and interference in affairs “by one country”.
India’s move was followed by Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka – forcing Pakistan to cancel the summit.
Pakistan has denied India’s statement of “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control, and said that instead there were firing incidents along the LoC in which two of its soldiers were killed. (Agencies)