UN chief offers mediation between India and Pakistan

NEW YORK: Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, met United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday to discuss escalating tensions between nuclear-armed states India and Pakistan, after which the UN chief offered mediation between the two neighbour states.  

According to details, Ban Ki-moon expressed grief and sympathy for the two Pakistani soldiers who were martyred in the cross border fire exchange between the two countries. Ban Ki-moon called for both countries to cease hostilities at once and expressed his sympathies for the family of the Pakistani soldiers who were martyred in the shelling. The UN Secretary-General also offered to mediate peace between India and Pakistan. 

During her meeting with the UN Secretary-General, Maleeha Lodhi informed him about Indian aggression and told him that India's statements were threatening the peace of the whole region. Lodhi said that India's 'surgical strikes' claim was false and said that the country has always adopted a hostile stance towards Pakistan. She also told him that India was attempting to divert the attention towards its atrocities in occupied Kashmir. 

She said that India was consistently refusing to recognize the right of self-determination of Kashmiris. To cease hostilities in occupied Kashmir and stop violation of human rights abuses, she urged Ban Ki-moon to play his role. 

During their meeting, Ban Ki-moon conceded that the UN mission was only active on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control.