Pakistan’s envoy discusses South Asia security situation with UN chief

Amid mounting India-Pakistan tensions, Pakistani envoy to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, met UN Chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday and discussed the latest developments in the region.

“The discussion focused on the evolving security situation in South Asia as well as the imperative of de-escalation and the efforts being made to that effect,” a press release issued by the Pakistan Mission to the UN said.

“The Ambassador reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability,” it added.

Earlier in the day UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric was asked at the regular UN briefing whether Guterres plans to travel to India and Pakistan as the situation was heating up.

Dujarric replied that the UN chief had offered his good offices during his phone calls to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in the wake of the armed attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

“So I don’t think there would be any travel until there’s a clear message that, as in any instance where we have high tensions between two countries, that they’ve both accepted his good offices,” he added.

Another correspondent pointed out that India was threatening to use the model of Israel in Gaza, in Kashmir, and, with that tension going so high now, why not the secretary-general would interfere?

The spokesman replied: “The Secretary-General, as I said, spoke very soon after the attack in Kashmir. He spoke to the Minister of External Affairs of India.

He spoke to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and I think we told you a lot about those phone calls. And, again, as I said, he offered his good offices.”