Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday had a telephone conversation with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres focusing on the recent heightened tensions between Pakistan and India.
During the telephone call, the Prime Minister affirmed that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, while highlighting the significant sacrifices rendered by the country in the global war against terror.
PM Shehbaz categorically rejected the Indian accusations against Pakistan as baseless regarding any attempt to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident.
Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated his call for a transparent and neutral investigation into the incident during the telephone call with Secretary General of the United Nations.
The Prime Minister expressed serious concerns over India’s attempts to delegitimize the Kashmiri freedom struggle by using the bogey of “terrorism”.
He also highlighted India’s widely documented state-sponsored terrorism in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He particularly highlighted India’s weaponisation of the waters of the Indus Basin as unacceptable, while noting that water was the lifeline of 240 million people.
PM Shehbaz reiterated that Pakistan shall defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity with full force in case of any misadventure by India.
He also encouraged the UN Secretary-General to counsel India to act responsibly and exercise restraint.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the unresolved issue of Jammu & Kashmir remained the root cause of instability in South Asia, and urged the UN Secretary- General to play his role for its just resolution, in accordance with relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
The UN Secretary-General appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for peace in South Asia and said that the world could not afford any escalation in the region at crucial time.
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