UNITED NATIONS, April 29: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any further escalation in tensions, following reports of ongoing troop exchanges along the Line of Control (LoC). The statement was shared by his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq on Monday.
“He strongly urges both Governments to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any escalation,” Haq said in a written response to a reporter’s query. “The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the situation between India and Pakistan,” he added.
Reports indicate that for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, the Pakistan Army engaged in unprovoked firing using small arms across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian troops “responded swiftly and effectively,” according to a spokesperson from the Indian defence ministry.
Despite the growing tensions, Haq noted that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) “has no presence in the area where the attack happened.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated in a television interview that there was “an immediate threat” of confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
In his statement, Guterres reaffirmed his belief that “even the most challenging issues can be resolved peacefully through meaningful and constructive dialogue.” Haq said the Secretary-General is prepared to support “any initiatives, acceptable to both parties, that promote and support the resumption of dialogue.”
Additionally, Guterres extended his condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims of the April 22 terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley. “The Secretary-General conveys his solidarity with the families of the victims… and underscores the importance of accountability and justice,” Haq said.
The brutal terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley saw terrorists opening fire on a group of tourists, killing 26 people and injuring several others, including a Nepali national. Harrowing visuals of the incident, showing chaos and indiscriminate firing by the attackers, have since circulated widely, adding to the alarm over rising regional instability.
