Guterres’ Kashmir reference irks India

ISLAMABAD: India is irked on reference of Kashmir dispute by United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres in Islamabad on Sunday after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while speaking on Pakistan’s soil.

The UN Secretary General who is on an unprecedented visit of four days of Pakistan, couldn’t proceed to the Line of Control (LoC) due to “logistic reasons”, but he had meeting with the personnel of United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan on Sunday where he discussed with them situation in the areas of their deployment.

Well-placed sources in the Foreign Office told The News that India is opposed to the presence of UNMOGIP in the two countries, but the UN Secretary General has referred and lauded their services

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who has made the visit of UNSG to Pakistan through his Herculean efforts, discussed with the visiting dignitary role and contribution of the UNMPGIP. He impressed upon the UNSG to deploy the group personnel in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) so that the violations being committed by India should be observed and checked.

The sources said that India that had planned to isolate Pakistan diplomatically is extremely perturbed about the reference of Kashmir dispute by international dignitaries time and again unabated on Pakistan’s indulgence.

New Delhi is also feeling uneasy about the visit of UN Secretary General to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib since it highlights Pakistan’s role in interfaith harmony. Antonio Guterres’ will be returning to New York on Wednesday and his other engagements include interactions with parliamentarians, media and the youth.

He will deliver special talks on themes of sustainable development, climate change and peacekeeping. He will also pay a visit to Lahore and will travel to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. His discussion on climate change and peacekeeping on Sunday has widely appreciated by the people.