ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to urge India to act responsibly and avoid escalating regional tensions, calling New Delhi’s weaponisation of Indus Basin waters unacceptable to Pakistan.
In a phone call with Guterres, Shehbaz warned that any Indian misadventure would be met with full force, stressing that water is a lifeline for 240 million Pakistanis. He rejected India’s allegations about Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack and called for a neutral, transparent probe into the incident.
Tensions have risen sharply since last week’s attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 tourists dead. India blamed Pakistan shortly after the incident without presenting evidence.
The prime minister condemned terrorism in all forms and underlined Pakistan’s role and sacrifices in the global fight against it. He criticised India’s efforts to label the Kashmiri freedom struggle as terrorism and pointed to state-sponsored violence in IIOJK.
Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to international peace and urged the UN chief to support a just solution to the Kashmir issue under Security Council resolutions. He also asked the UN to prevent any further escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
A UN spokesperson later confirmed Guterres had spoken to both Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, stressing the need for lawful conduct and offering his good offices to de-escalate tensions.
In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would speak to both Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers within days, urging restraint. She added that other world leaders were also being encouraged to engage both sides.
In London, Britain urged calm among diaspora communities and updated its travel advisory for Kashmir. UK lawmakers raised concerns over tensions spilling onto British streets, following reports of protests outside the Indian and Pakistani high commissions.
