UN snubs Pak offer to intervene in Kashmir issue

Amid growing tensions along the Indo-Pak border, Islamabad tried to pressurize India by attracting international watchdog on Sunday when they requested UN’s intervention in solving Kashmir issue.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said they has written to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon over the security situation along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and the International Boundary between Pakistan and India.

In his letter Aziz said: "I write to bring to your urgent attention the deteriorating security situation along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as along the working boundary between Pakistan and India, owing to deliberate and unprovoked violations of the ceasefire agreement and cross-border firing by the Indian forces over the past weeks."

Pakistan has alleged that India resorted to deliberate and unprovoked violations of the ceasefire agreement and cross-border firing by the over the past weeks along the border.

The letter also said: Pakistan believes the UN has an important role to play in promoting the objective of peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, including through his "good offices".

On Tuesday, UN refuted Pakistan’s allegations.

It has been learnt that, UN Ignored Pakistan's Bid to Seek Intervention on Kashmir.

Ban ki-Moon's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, when asked to comment on the letter seeking the UN chief's intervention and his viewpoint on the issue, told reporters that he would refer to a statement that was issued last week by Ban ki-Moon's spokesperson in which the UN chief encouraged India and Pakistan to resolve all differences through dialogue and engage constructively to find a long-term solution for peace and stability."

The Secretary-General is "Concerned about the recent escalation of violence along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. He deplores the loss of lives and the displacement of civilians on both sides," said the statement.

According to media reports, the UN decision came after India has said that serious bilateral dialogue can happen only "without the shadow of terrorism" as Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN.

The forthright Indian stand was put forward at the Fourth Committee meeting in UN General Assembly on de-colonisation issues when the Pakistani delegate raised the issue.

India made it clear that its armed forces are "fully ready" to respond to "provocation".

India also said that the onus of creating a positive environment for normalisation of relations is on Pakistan.

India cited “Shimla Agreement” clause which advocated that the Kashmir issue be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan.

India also maintained that UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the LoC and the International border (IB) between these two South Asian neighbours in Jammu and Kashmir, has "outlived its relevance" and has "no role to play whatsoever" on the issue.

Reacting to the development, BJP on Tuesday commented that Pakistan being isolated internationally because of its deeds.

"The refusal of UNGA to take cognizance of the nasty letter of Sartaj Aziz and it's big 'no' to Pakistani suggestions that it should intervene so that the so-called Kashmir issue is resolved as per the aspirations of Kashmiri people is a big slap on the face of the Pakistani political and military establishments," Prof Hari Om, Political Advisor to BJP state president is quoted by media as saying in Jammu on Tuesday.

The party hailed the he United Nation's snub to Pakistan on raising Kashmir issue, as a diplomatic triumph for the Narendra Modi Government.

The security forces of the two neighbouring nations have exchanged fire along the International Border or IB in Jammu and Kashmir's Arnia Sector since Oct 1, which claimed more than 20 lives on both sides of the border.

To de-escalate the tension, Pakistani and Indian military officials on Tuesday discussed ways to reduce tensions along the border as exchange of fire.

"Pakistan and India's Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) contacted on hotline on Tuesday and discussed the situation on the Line of Control," Xinhua quoted military officials as saying.