Guterres calls for peaceful resolution, condemns Jammu and Kashmir attack, and warns against unilateral actions.
New Delhi/New York: United Nations Secretary General António Guterres is monitoring the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan “very closely and with very great concern,” and has appealed to both governments to exercise “maximum restraint,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Thursday.
Dujarric condemned the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that “killed a large number of civilians,” and reiterated that “attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances.” While Guterres has not spoken directly to either leadership, he remains “very much” engaged with developments on the subcontinent, the spokesman added.
Addressing India’s recent decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, Dujarric cautioned that any unilateral actions risk further inflaming an already tense situation. “We appeal for maximum restraint and urge against measures that would deteriorate the situation further or increase tensions in a volatile region,” he said.
Emphasising peaceful resolution, Dujarric stated, “Any issues between Pakistan and India…can be and should be resolved peacefully through meaningful, mutual engagement.” Guterres had earlier offered his heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families following the attack in Pahalgam and stressed the importance of protecting civilians.
