PM Shehbaz rejects Indian allegations in call with UN chief

(Web Desk): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had a telephone conversation with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday evening, which focused on recent developments in South Asia.

During the telephone call, the Prime Minister affirmed that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, while highlighting the significant sacrifices rendered by the country in the global war against terror.

While rejecting Indian accusations against Pakistan as baseless, the Prime Minister categorically rejected any attempt to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident and reiterated his call for a transparent and neutral investigation into the incident.

The Prime Minister expressed serious concerns over India's attempts to delegitimize the Kashmiri freedom struggle by using the bogey of “terrorism”, as well as its widely documented state-sponsored terrorism in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He particularly highlighted India's weaponization of the waters of the Indus Basin as unacceptable, while noting that water was the lifeline of 240 million people.

While underscoring that Pakistan shall defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity with full force in case of any misadventure by India, the Prime Minister encouraged the UN Secretary-General to counsel India to act responsibly and exercise restraint. 

The Prime Minister emphasized 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 Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering commitment towards fostering international peace and security as a responsible member of the international community and a non-permanent member 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.