U.N. Brushes-off Pakistan’s Attempt to Internationalise the Issue, Yet Again

Oct 14, 2014 Tushita News 0

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The U.N. has once again denied intervention and assistance to Pakistan in sorting the issue of cross-border firing between India and Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC).

After the Ban ki-moon, United Nations Secretary General, refused to intervene last week, in an attempt to internationalise the matter, Pakistan recently made the appeal again, but to no effect. The U.N. still holds the same stand and suggested mutual resolution of the issue between the two countries through discourse.

The National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif, Sartaj Aziz requested the U.N. Secretary General to intervene in the ongoing clash at the border of the two countries.

In his letter he alleged that India was deliberately making uncalled-for ceasefire violations over the past few weeks.

Excerpt from the Letter:

Mr. Aziz wrote, “I write to bring to your urgent attention the deteriorating security situation along the line of control in Jammu & Kashmir, as well as along the International Border between Pakistan and India… 

“As you are aware, the Jammu & Kashmir dispute is one of the long outstanding issues on the agenda of the UN security council, whose resolutions promising the holding of a plebiscite, under the auspices of the United Nations for self-determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, remain valid though unimplemented to date,” 

The letter was revealed by the foreign office of Pakistan.

U.N.’s response reserved:

The letter got no attention from the global body. However, when U.N. Secretary General Ban ki-moon’s deputy spokesperson, Farhan Haq was asked to comment on the issue, he made reference to the statement which was issued by the spokesperson of the U.N. chief last week.

In the last week’s statement, the Secretary General had recommended both the countries to sort out the differences by holding dialogue. He had also suggested to look for longstanding answers to the problems of Kashmir and restore stability and peace in the region.

The statement in point held that, The Secretary-General is “concerned about the recent escalation of violence along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. He deplores the loss of lives and the displacement of civilians on both sides.”

The letter that Mr. Aziz addressed to the U.N. chief says that he thinks that the world body plays an important part in encouraging a peaceable resolution of the matter.

Speaking about the state of affairs at the border, at the U.N. General Assembly, India had said last week that it’s a ‘matter of deep regret’ that Pakistan initiated the cross border firing that resulted in death of eight people and caused injuries to many others.

India also took the opportunity to make it known that its ‘‘forces are totally prepared to counter any sort of provocation.”

Apart from that, it held that Pakistan holds the responsibility of building an atmosphere conducive to stabilisation of the relations.

The United Nations has always had an institutional existence in the disputed areas between India and Pakistan.

The U.N. Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) concerns itself with various violations including those of ceasefire agreements, at the International Border (IB) between the two countries. It also oversees the functional boundary between the South Asian neighbours in J&K and changes that could result in ceasefire violations.

India has the view that UNMOGIP has outlived its relevance and has no say in the issue.

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• diplomacy, India-Pakista, Indo-Pak, Indo-Pak war, Jammu and Kahmir, Kashmir issue, LoC, U.N. Secretary-General Ban ki-moon, United Nations

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