
Pakistan's objectives ‘largely served and achieved' by UNSC moot on South Asia tensions: Asim Iftikhar
Nada Mustafa
Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN Asim Iftikhar on Tuesday said that the country's objectives were largely achieved by a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting it had requested to discuss the prevailing tensions in South Asia amid a standoff with India in the wake of a militant attack in occupied Kashmir.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in one of the deadliest assaults since 2000. India, without investigation or evidence, implied 'cross-border linkages' of the attackers. Pakistan has firmly rejected the claim and called for a neutral probe.
Tensions have since spiked, with Pakistan reinforcing its forces as it expected an incursion and India's premier granting 'operational freedom' to his military. As temperatures remain high, with the military warning of a 'swift' response to any misadventure by New Delhi, diplomatic channels have remained engaged to prevent conflict.
Iftikhar delivered a press briefing following the UNSC meeting, stating that the nation's objectives were 'largely served and achieved' by the discussion and reiterating Pakistan's commitment to remaining peaceful and open to dialogue.
'Several [council] members recognised the imperative of peacefully resolving all issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,' Iftikhar said.
'There was also a clear sense that regional stability cannot be sustained through unilateralism, it requires principled diplomacy, engagement and adherence to international law.'
Iftikhar noted that peace 'does not happen in a vacuum' and highlighted some of the key points discussed during the moot.
'We expressed grave concern over India's recent unilateral measures, particularly the illegal actions of April 23, military buildup and inflammatory statements,' he said.
'These actions, alongside credible evidence of potential escalation, have dangerously raised tensions.
'Pakistan does not seek confrontation [but] we are fully prepared to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. When peace is threatened in a region home to one-fourth of humanity, it becomes a global issue,' he noted.
Iftikhar highlighted that Pakistan 'categorically rejected' India's allegations that it was responsible for the Pahalgam attack, which was condemned by Pakistan and 'all council members'.
'What India is claiming is nothing but recycled allegations, unsubstantiated, unverified [and] designed to serve its political interest and strategic objectives, which include trying to divert attention from repression and human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir and to undermine the legitimate Kashmiri struggle for self-determination,' he said.
Iftikhar also raised India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which he noted was brokered by the World Bank and 'upheld during wars'.
'Water is life, not a weapon,' he said. 'These rivers sustain over 240 million Pakistanis. Any attempt to disrupt their flow constitutes aggression, and allowing such a precedent would endanger every lower riparian state.'
According to Iftikhar, the council was reminded that the Kashmir issue was the core contributor to instability in South Asia.
'The Kashmiri people continue to face gross human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, demolition of homes — that we are seeing now — restrictions on expression and media and a systematic denial of their right to self-determination,' he lamented.
'Lasting peace in South Asia requires that the UNSC implements its own resolutions, which include the holding of a UN-supervised plebiscite for Kashmiris to determine their own future,' he stated.
The ambassador added that Pakistan called out India's 'weaponisation of disinformation [and] efforts to malign Pakistan'.
'We reminded the UNSC that Pakistan has been a frontline state in the war on terror, sacrificing over 19,000 lives along with immense economic setback,' he said. 'India's attempts to distort this reality, while ignoring its own destabilising actions and involvement in terrorism abroad, including the case of Kulbushan Jadhav and extraterritorial assassinations, must be met with truth, transparency and accountability.'
Iftikhar continued: 'We reiterated our commitment to peaceful, cooperative relations with all our neighbours, including India. We remain open to dialogue based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.'
The ambassador added that Pakistan reiterated its call for a 'transparent, neutral and credible investigation' of the Pahalagam attack.
'While we pursue peace, we will defend our interests and safeguard our sovereignty resolutely, and at all costs. We urge the UNSC and the secretary general to remain actively engaged in peacemaking and preventative diplomacy,' he said.
'The role of the council is not just to observe conflict from afar, but to prevent it through timely and principled action. Peace must be built through dialogue, engagement and respect for international law. India's current posture reflects none of these,' Iftikhar said.
'The burden of peace must be shared — the people of Kashmir have waited far too long for justice, and the people of Pakistan will not stand by while their rights — to water, to peace, to sovereignty — are threatened,' he added.
'In view of the gravity of the situation, the calls for dialogue, de-escalation, and peaceful resolution of disputes, such as by the secretary general and what we heard from the council members today, are the most pertinent and the way forward for lasting peace and stability in the region,' he concluded.
Earlier today, the Foreign Office (FO) said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had instructed Iftikhar to take immediate steps for the UNSC session.
'Pakistan will particularly brief the UNSC on how India's aggressive actions, repeated provocations and inflammatory rhetoric pose a serious threat to regional and global peace and stability,' an FO press release issued today said.
It said that Pakistan would call upon the UNSC to 'exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security by taking appropriate measures to address these concerning developments'.
'It will also highlight India's unlawful and unilateral attempt to put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance — a clear violation of its international obligations,' the FO said.
The instructions came two days after Ambassador Iftikhar said Pakistan was closely following the situation stemming from India's aggressive moves in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and would seek a UNSC meeting at an appropriate time.
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars and remain bitter foes.
International pressure has been piled on both New Delhi and Islamabad to de-escalate.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in Kashmir.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military 'full operational freedom' to respond, and Islamabad has warned it will hit back against any aggression.
read more
Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685
NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria
Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO
Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided
News
Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks
News
Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank
News
Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region
News
One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid
News
Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers
Lifestyle
Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe
News
Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia
News
Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content
Arts & Culture
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized
Sports
Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer
Videos & Features
Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO)
Sports
Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
News
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies
Arts & Culture
New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


See - Sada Elbalad
4 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Gives Field Guidance over Construction Site of Kusong City Hospital
Nada Mustafa Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, gave field guidance over the construction site of Kusong City Hospital on June 9. He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won and Ri Hi Yong, secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK, and Kim Jae Ryong and Kim Yong Su, department directors of the Central Committee of the WPK. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was greeted on the spot by officials of construction unit and design institutions. Making rounds of the construction site, he learned in detail about the progress made in the construction. Kusong City Hospital is one of the hospitals under construction in different scales on a demonstration basis in three cities and counties in 2025, according to the decision of the Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. Kim Jong Un said that at present the construction sector, the major sphere of our struggle and the main front symbolizing the steady advance and development of our state, is continuously expanding and developing, and the fulfillment of the huge construction plan designed by our Party requires the rapid and qualitative strengthening of the workforce indispensably. Construction which proves with clear entity the leap forward civilization and prosperity we are idealizing is thoroughly conducted by the workforce, the mainstay of the gigantic creative struggle, he said, adding that it is our Party's view that the preparation of the workforce means a sure guarantee for the construction revolution in the new era. Saying that the historic task of rapidly establishing a system for expanding and strengthening the workforce by the state in a qualitative way should be solved in a right way, he underscored its importance repeatedly. Strengthening the workforce is not an immediate short-term issue but a strategic task in the ten-year construction struggle for regional rejuvenation, he noted. He pointed out that although many workforce of the People's Army are now being dispatched to the huge construction areas unfolded by our Party and their revolutionary enthusiasm is growing day by day, the efficiency of using the workforce is not ensured at the up-to-the-standard level due to the non-specialization and inexperience in the organization and command of construction. In order to make a vigorous advance of gigantic grand construction which our Party and state are directing much efforts, a rapid state measure should be taken for qualitative strengthening of the workforce with the main emphasis on training skilled workers, he said, adding that an intensive short course will be organized for the present to improve the practical abilities of officials in the construction sector at all levels for it. Kim Jong Un said that the intensive short course of officials at all levels in the construction sector to be held after the Twelfth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Party should deal with the urgent problems arising in carrying out the construction revolution, including the establishment of a well-regulated system of training skilled workers. He said that the gigantic struggle for the implementation of our Party's regional development policy should be a revolution to fundamentally and ultimately put an end to the centuries-old backwardness and laggardness of the regional areas and, at the same time, a process of transforming the old customs, outdated culture and obsolete technology that remain in the construction sector to suit the new era and a historic process of training all the builders to be creators of new culture and new civilization and genuine socialist builders. We have a guards hero unit, that is a unit of competent construction educators with excellent construction potentiality, and if all the experience and models created by them in construction are positively applied to the construction enterprises at all levels and military construction groups, remarkable progress will be made in carrying out our Party's construction policy, he said, adding that this problem also can be solved through the practical short course. Saying that it is a key issue to train the reliable technical forces necessary for the assembly of equipment as the hospital is a functional building which should be technically compatible with the termination of the substructure, medical equipment and appliances and all other things, unlike dwelling houses and industrial buildings, Kim Jong Un set forth a series of important tasks, which should be carried out in the construction field without a moment's delay, including the issue of examining the establishment of an enterprise specializing in the assembling of medical equipment and the issue of further increasing the proportion of construction work done by machines and steadily improving the level of modernization of equipment. -0- read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean


See - Sada Elbalad
4 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Lavrov: Russian Military Operation to Continue in Ukraine
Nada Mustafa Russian Foreign Minister (FM) Sergey Lavrov announced that Russia's special military operation will continue following talks with Ukraine in Istanbul. However, he stated that Moscow remains open to facilitating humanitarian issues through diplomatic means. According to Russia's TASS news agency on Monday, Lavrov criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for failing to retrieve the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers in a timely manner, despite agreements reached during the Istanbul negotiations. Earlier, Vladimir Medinsky, Assistant to the Russian President and head of the Russian delegation to the talks with Kyiv, stated that Russia had launched a humanitarian initiative involving the remains of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers. This initiative also included the exchange of prisoners of war and individuals under the age of 25, as outlined in the Istanbul agreements. However, Medinsky claimed that 'Moscow's goodwill was met with silence from the Kyiv regime,' accusing Ukraine of indefinitely postponing the proposed exchange. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean


See - Sada Elbalad
4 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Lebanese President Visits Jordan for Official Talks with King Abdullah II
Nada Mustafa Lebanese President Joseph Aoun departed Beirut on Tuesday, heading to Amman at the helm of a high-level delegation for an official visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in response to an invitation from King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein. During the visit, Aoun is set to hold consultations with King Abdullah to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest, as well as review current regional developments. In a separate statement, President Aoun emphasized that nothing can intimidate or deter the judiciary in Lebanon from fulfilling its noble mission, asserting that "justice is stronger than bullets and truth is more enduring than injustice." His remarks came on Sunday during the commemoration of the 26th anniversary of the assassination of four judges in Sidon, a crime he described as a deep wound in the nation's conscience and the heart of Lebanese justice. He firmly condemned the terrorist act, according to Lebanon's National News Agency. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean