UN urges India, Pakistan to resolve ceasefire issues through dialogue

Amid relentless ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked India and Pakistan to resolve their issues through dialogue.

“The Secretary-General would call on both countries to resolve their issues diplomatically and through discussions,” Mr Ban’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said October 8. He was responding to a question on whether the UN chief can play the role of a peace-maker between the two countries.

Pakistan has also formally lodged a protest with India on the alleged ceasefire violations and has even approached the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) office. India has made it clear many a time that the UNMOGIP has “outlived its relevance” and has “no role to play whatsoever”.

The two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have accused each other of targeting civilians and unprovoked violations of the 11-year-old ceasefire agreement.

Nine Pakistani and eight Indian civilians have been slaughtered since fighting erupted more than week ago in the worst case of ceasefire violations since 2003.

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