Pakistan FM updates UNSC on situation in Kashmir

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday addressed another letter to the President of the UN Security Council underscoring the continuation of "troubling developments" in Jammu Kashmir after India's withdrawal of special rights of the disputed region earlier this month.

Referring to the UNSC meeting on Kashmir on Aug. 16, the Foreign Minister called for immediate lifting of "India’s indefensible" lockdown of the entire Kashmiri population for three weeks, said a statement from the foreign ministry.

Reiterating Pakistan’s concerns over "India staging another false flag operation to divert world’s attention from its illegal and unilateral actions of Aug. 5, the statement said: "India’s irresponsible and belligerent rhetoric on the nuclear issue has also been highlighted".

The Foreign Minister further suggested to the Security Council for doubling the number of United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) observers and persuading India to allow them to patrol on its side of the Line of Control ( LoC) as well.

The LoC is a de facto border that splits the picturesque Himalayan valley between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Qureshi called on the Council to consider all possible avenues available to it under the UN Charter to fulfill its responsibilities for the maintenance of international and regional peace and security.

The Foreign Minister has underscored Pakistan’s readiness to cooperate in every possible way with the Security Council, the UN Secretary General and the world community to promote a peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Charter and the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, the statement added.

The Foreign Minister had earlier addressed communications to the President of the Security Council on 1, 6 and 13 August 2019.