Latest news with #AsimIftikhar
Russia Today
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
UN urges India and Pakistan to exercise ‘maximum restraint'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on India and Pakistan to avoid a 'military confrontation' that could spin out of control. His remarks on Monday came ahead of a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council that discussed the escalating situation in South Asia. The meeting was held at Pakistan's request. 'Now is the time for maximum restraint and stepping back from the brink,' Guterres told the media outside the council chambers at the UN headquarters in New York. The UNSC did not release a statement after the meeting, which lasted for around 90 minutes. Indian news agency ANI reported, citing sources, that UNSC members posed 'tough questions' to Pakistan regarding the April terror attack in Kashmir that claimed 26 lives. 'The members refused to accept the 'false flag' narrative promoted by the Pakistani side and asked whether Lashkar-e-Taiba, a proscribed terror organisation with deep ties to Pakistan, was likely to be involved in the terror attack,' ANI wrote. Islamabad's UN ambassador, Asim Iftikhar, told the media that his country had raised an 'effective voice against Indian actions' in the Security Council, according to Pakistani newspaper the Express Tribune. Iftikhar also expressed reservations over India's move to suspend the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty that regulated sharing of water between the two nations, calling it a violation of international law. Ahmad denounced the Kashmir attack and denied Pakistan's involvement. He further expressed his government's willingness to fully cooperate with a transparent, independent, and international investigation, the paper added. VIDEO | Pahalgam terror attack: United Nations General Secretary António Guterres (@antonioguterres) says, "Tensions between India and Pakistan are at the highest in years. I deeply respect and I am profoundly grateful to the government and people of both countries and their… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 5, 2025 India and Pakistan have exchanged fire for 12 days following the attack. The Indian Army said that Pakistan continued to violate a February 2021 ceasefire agreement by resorting to unprovoked small-arms fire from posts across the Line of Control, which is the de-facto border between the two countries in Kashmir.
News18
06-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan Misusing UN Platform, Silent On Upping Nuclear Rhetoric: Govt Sources
Last Updated: Pakistan's Permanent Representative at UN was also given a chance to make a 9-minute-long monologue against India even as UNSC did not come out with any statement on the meeting Pakistan is misusing the United Nations (UN) platform by virtue of being a non-permanent member of the Security Council at present and ahead of it assuming the chair of the Security Council for the month of July. This is what top government sources in India are saying, taking umbrage at Pakistan seeking, and getting, a closed-door meeting at the UN to discuss the India-Pakistan tensions in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy. Pakistan's Permanent Representative at UN, Asim Iftikhar, was also given a chance to make a 9-minute-long monologue against India even as the UNSC did not come out with any statement on the meeting. 'This is unfortunate and ironic as it is Pakistan which is speaking of nuclear options after orchestrating the Pahalgam terror strike. The Pakistani representative in fact walked without answering the sole question asked on why Pakistani top leaders were ratcheting up the nuclear rhetoric and speaking about using full spectrum of power," a government source told CNN-News18. Pakistan went on to raise the Kashmir issue in its monologue at the UN, calling for a plebiscite in Kashmir and claimed the unresolved issue of Kashmir was the root cause of the India-Pakistan tensions. It also accused India of a provocative stance, putting on hold the Indus Waters Treaty, and again asked for an impartial investigation into the 'Pahalgam incident", while condemning it. However, inside the closed-door meeting, Pakistan was asked by other countries whether LeT was likely to be involved in the Pahalgam attack, and a recognition of the need for accountability, sources say. Some members specifically brought up targeting of tourists based on their religious faith. In fact, many members expressed concern that Pakistan's missile tests and nuclear rhetoric were escalatory factors, sources say. India has spoken to all members of the UNSC over the last one week, pressing its case against Pakistan. Guterres pointed out that the tensions between India and Pakistan are 'highest" in recent years. 'It pains me to see India-Pakistan relations reaching a boiling point," he said. He added: 'I deeply respect and am profoundly grateful to the governments and people of both countries and their significant contributions to the work of the United Nations, not least UN peacekeeping. And so it pains me to see relations reaching a boiling point." He also said that both nations should pull back from the 'brink" and said the UN stands to support initiatives that promote de-escalation. 'Make no mistake: A military solution is no solution. And I offer my good offices to both governments in the service of peace. The United Nations stands ready to support any initiative that promotes de-escalation, diplomacy, and a renewed commitment to peace," he further added. First Published: May 06, 2025, 09:55 IST
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
UNSC briefed on Pak-India standoff
Pakistan on Monday apprised the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) of the prevailing tensions in South Asia after the killing of 26 people in the Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) tourist resort of Pahalgam. The UNSC went into an emergency in-camera session on Pakistan's request and received a briefing from Pakistan's Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar. The meeting was attended by all 15 members, including the five-permanent veto-wielding powers. "Pakistan is grateful to the members of the UNSC for their attention and engagement," Ambassador Iftikhar told reporters, while briefing the media. He described the Kashmir issue as a longstanding dispute between Pakistan and India, saying that it has been lingering since the last 70 years. He expressed strong reservations over India's recent unilateral actions and said that Pakistan had raised an effective voice against Indian actions in the Security Council. "Pakistan is always ready to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Ambassador Iftikhar expressed reservations over India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), calling it a violation of the international law. He condemned atrocities of Indian forces in IIOJK and said that the oppression and persecution of unarmed and innocent Kashmiris continued unabated. About the Pahalgam attack, the Pakistani delegate condemned the incident and made it clear that Pakistan had nothing to do with it. "Pakistan is ready to fully cooperate in a transparent, independent and international investigation into the incident," he added. He stressed that sustainable peace in South Asia was not possible without the resolution of the Kashmir issue and urged the solution to this issue should be in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. "The Kashmir dispute cannot be resolved without the participation of the Kashmiri people." The Pakistani delegate said that India's actions posed serious threats to peace and security of the region, and stressed that talks were the only way to peace. "Pakistan is always ready for talks based on the principles of mutual respect, dignity and sovereignty.
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
UN Security Council convenes over rising Pakistan-India tensions
Listen to article The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has convened to address the growing tensions between Pakistan and India in the aftermath of a deadly attack in Indian Ilegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The April 22 assault in Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead, has become one of the deadliest incidents in the region in over two decades. India, without presenting any evidence, has implied that the attackers had 'cross-border linkages,' a claim Pakistan has strongly denied. Islamabad has instead called for a neutral and transparent investigation into the incident. In response to the escalating standoff, Pakistan moved swiftly to activate diplomatic channels. Acting on directives from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar called for an emergency UNSC meeting. The session began at 3 pm local time at the UN headquarters in New York. According to a statement by the Foreign Office earlier today, Pakistan intends to brief the Security Council on India's 'aggressive actions, repeated provocations and inflammatory rhetoric,' which it says threaten regional and global peace. The FO also highlighted India's recent move to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a violation of international obligations. Pakistan has urged the UNSC to fulfill its mandate to maintain international peace and security by addressing these developments through appropriate measures. The meeting comes amid sustained international efforts to prevent further deterioration between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Pahalgam terror attack: UNSC to hold closed consultations on rising Indo-Pak tensions
After Islamabad sought an emergency meeting amid tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack, the UN Security Council will hold closed consultations on Monday afternoon in New York (Tuesday early morning India time). Pakistan is a non-permanent member of the powerful 15-nation UN Security Council, which is being presided over by Greece for May. Islamabad had 'requested closed consultations' on the tensions between the two countries and the Greek Presidency has scheduled the meeting for May 5 in the afternoon. On Sunday, the Pakistan foreign office said that it has decided to brief the UNSC on the latest regional developments in the wake of the terror attack in which 26 people were killed. According to a statement, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had directed Pakistan's UN Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar to take immediate steps to convene a meeting of the Security Council. 'Pakistan will inform the UNSC about India's aggressive actions, provocations, and provocative statements,' the foreign office had said. 'Pakistan will specifically highlight India's illegal actions to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty,' it said, adding that the country would clarify how New Delhi 's actions are jeopardising 'peace and security' in the region. After a non-permanent member requests for a meeting, the member country — which is the president of the UNSC for the month — has to take a call on allowing the issue to be discussed. Normally, when a country at the UNSC calls for a meeting, the President usually allows it. A closed-door meeting is supposed to be an off-the-record meeting, with no statements or resolutions in that case. In August 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370, a meeting was called by China at Pakistan's behest, but there was no UNSC statement at that time. Apart from the five permanent members who have veto powers — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US — the 10 non-permanent members in the Council currently are Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia. In 2019, India was a non-permanent member at the UN Security Council. This time, Pakistan is at the Security Council in New York, which means that they have the voice at the table, while India is not present in the room. So, India has to depend on other friendly countries to present Delhi's views, and who will also brief India about what transpired at the meeting. While Indian diplomats in New York are working tirelessly to lobby with the members at the UNSC, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has spoken with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, French Foreign Minster Jean-Noel Barrot and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, and other non-permanent members. He has not spoken to Pakistan and Chinese foreign ministers. In his calls, Jaishankar underlined his message that Pahalgam terror attack's 'perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice'. Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for May Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris had last week said that a meeting should take place if a request comes to discuss the India-Pakistan situation. 'As I said before, as a position of principle, we strongly condemn any act of terrorism and this is what we did' on the 'heinous terrorist attack' that took place in Pahalgam in which innocent civilians died, Sekeris had said. At a press conference last Friday, Ahmad said at the UN that his country has the right to convene a meeting when 'we feel appropriate'. 'We see that all of this that is happening is in the context, in the backdrop of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,' Ahmad had said, adding that the situation that evolved after the attack is a real threat to regional and international peace and security. The Pakistani envoy had last week met Guterres and briefed him about the security situation in the region.
