Lawmakers ask UN to honour its commitments to resolve Kashmir issue

Parliamentarians belonging to both treasury and opposition benches meet UN chief Antonio Guterres at FO


APP February 17, 2020
Parliamentarians belonging to both treasury and opposition benches meet UN chief Antonio Guterres at FO. PHOTO: EXPRESS

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentarians belonging to both treasury and opposition benches have urged the United Nations to honour is commitments to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The world body is the last hope for the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) and therefore it must play its due role in resolving the matter in accordance with its own resolutions, they stressed while speaking to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Foreign Office on Monday.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and FO officials welcomed the visiting dignitary upon his arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

The foreign minister introduced Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayyed, Kashmir Committee Chairman Syed Fakhar Iman, Foreign Relations Committee of the National Assembly Chairman Ihsanullah Tiwnai and other lawmakers to the UN chief.

The parliamentarians apprised the UN secretary general of the gross human rights violations in IOJ&K. They said the Indian government's unilateral action of August 5 in Jammu and Kashmir were not acceptable, adding that the United Nations must play its role for peace and stability of the region which is at stake due to Delhi's unprovoked aggression.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

They thanked the UN chief for voicing support in resolving the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution.

The lawmakers informed Guterres that bilateral talks with India could not be resumed in the prevailing war-like atmosphere and emphasised that the role of the UN leadership in such a tensed environment had become even more important.

The UN chief said he had visited Pakistan on a number of occasions but purpose of his present visit was to express solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan. He said Pakistan was a peace loving country and it has been whole-heartedly hosting the Afghan refugees for the past four decades, adding that it had also successfully eliminated the scourge of terrorism from its soil.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

The UN secretary general said the world body could play the role of a mediator for the resolution of long-standing Kashmir issue, stressing that diplomacy and dialogue were of much importance in resolving the issue.

He said the basic right of the people of the occupied valley must be ensured at all costs.

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