On Friday, the UN Security Council convened an informal closed door session on the Kashmir issue. This is the first time this issue has been discussed at the UN Security Council in five decades. The outcome though of the UNSC meeting will not be a formal pronouncement as the consultations are informal in nature.
India and Pakistan did not attend the meeting, which was open only to the five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members
Speaking to the media, The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, said on Friday that members of the Security Council generally feel India and Pakistan should both refrain from unilateral action over Kashmir.
Indian envoy to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said India's position was and remains that matters related to Article 370 of the Constitution are entirely an internal matter of India and these have no external ramifications.
India told Pakistan that it has to stop terrorism to start talks
"Stop terror to start talks," Syed Akbaruddin asserted.
Pakistan's ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi said the voices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir were heard at the meeting of the UN Security Council, the highest diplomatic forum of the world.
Lodhi said the very fact this meeting had taken place is "testimony to the fact that this is an internationally recognized dispute".
Russia's deputy permanent representative, Dimitry Polyanskiy told reporters that Moscow's view is that it is a "bilateral issue" between India and Pakistan.
After India revoked article 370 & 35-A, Jammu & Kashmir have been on lock down. No internet or telephone access to the valley, with a strict enforcement by the Indian Security Forces has completely blocked the area from the world. No news is coming out, except for bits and pieces. India maintains there position that this was a due to security concerns and precautionary measures to safe guarding civilian lives rest with the federal government and local administrators on ground. India's UN envoy Syed Akbaruddin urged the international media to let the administrators and law enforcement, who are on ground to make the decisions and give India the time needed to ensure peace in the Jammu & Kashmir.
There is great uncertainty in the international community as to how long this curfew and communications blackout will remain. The OIC has issued a statement calling for an end to the curfew and stressed concerns over the human rights violation in the region.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a press conference held yesterday stressed the importance and the gravity of the current ongoing situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir, terming it as a possible flash point between to nuclear armed neighbors.
This statement came after India's defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Pokhran is the area which witnessed Atal Ji’s firm resolve to make India a nuclear power and yet remain firmly committed to the doctrine of ‘No First Use’. India has strictly adhered to this doctrine. What happens in future depends on the circumstances.”
Earlier this week, Pakistan's Prime Minister while addressing the legislative Assembly of Pakistan's Kashmir said that we will respond to any form of India's aggression with a stronger show of power, raising the temperature of the situation.
Pakistan considers the UNSC meeting on Kashmir as a diplomatic achievement, though it does understand that this the beginning of a long diplomatic battle, where it will have to face many obstacles, considering how strong India currently is diplomatically and economically compared to Pakistan.
India, on the other hand feel that the international community understands and respects their position and that Jammu & Kashmir is an internal matter.
Unfortunately, as the curfew continues there is concern that people in the valley will get frustrated. That will lead to a rise in protest and a rise in the security measures from New Delhi. If New Delhi continues with this approach and the people of the valley come out to the streets, the situation will get extremely dire, and causalities are likely to happen. In that situation it will be interesting to see how long New Delhi can continue to convince the international community that they have everything under control. Islamabad also does not want the situation to break lose. The commitment to the diplomatic approach will be tested if there is chaos in the valley.
By no exaggeration, the issue of Kashmir can become a possible flash point between Pakistan and India, if the temperatures are not lowered. The international community, while keeping an eye on this will have to address this issue one way or the other before it blows up.
India and Pakistan did not attend the meeting, which was open only to the five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members
Speaking to the media, The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, said on Friday that members of the Security Council generally feel India and Pakistan should both refrain from unilateral action over Kashmir.
Indian envoy to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said India's position was and remains that matters related to Article 370 of the Constitution are entirely an internal matter of India and these have no external ramifications.
India told Pakistan that it has to stop terrorism to start talks
"Stop terror to start talks," Syed Akbaruddin asserted.
Pakistan's ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi said the voices of the people of Jammu and Kashmir were heard at the meeting of the UN Security Council, the highest diplomatic forum of the world.
Lodhi said the very fact this meeting had taken place is "testimony to the fact that this is an internationally recognized dispute".
Russia's deputy permanent representative, Dimitry Polyanskiy told reporters that Moscow's view is that it is a "bilateral issue" between India and Pakistan.
The Curfew
After India revoked article 370 & 35-A, Jammu & Kashmir have been on lock down. No internet or telephone access to the valley, with a strict enforcement by the Indian Security Forces has completely blocked the area from the world. No news is coming out, except for bits and pieces. India maintains there position that this was a due to security concerns and precautionary measures to safe guarding civilian lives rest with the federal government and local administrators on ground. India's UN envoy Syed Akbaruddin urged the international media to let the administrators and law enforcement, who are on ground to make the decisions and give India the time needed to ensure peace in the Jammu & Kashmir.
There is great uncertainty in the international community as to how long this curfew and communications blackout will remain. The OIC has issued a statement calling for an end to the curfew and stressed concerns over the human rights violation in the region.
Flash Point
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a press conference held yesterday stressed the importance and the gravity of the current ongoing situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir, terming it as a possible flash point between to nuclear armed neighbors.
This statement came after India's defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Pokhran is the area which witnessed Atal Ji’s firm resolve to make India a nuclear power and yet remain firmly committed to the doctrine of ‘No First Use’. India has strictly adhered to this doctrine. What happens in future depends on the circumstances.”
Earlier this week, Pakistan's Prime Minister while addressing the legislative Assembly of Pakistan's Kashmir said that we will respond to any form of India's aggression with a stronger show of power, raising the temperature of the situation.
What's next?
India, on the other hand feel that the international community understands and respects their position and that Jammu & Kashmir is an internal matter.
Unfortunately, as the curfew continues there is concern that people in the valley will get frustrated. That will lead to a rise in protest and a rise in the security measures from New Delhi. If New Delhi continues with this approach and the people of the valley come out to the streets, the situation will get extremely dire, and causalities are likely to happen. In that situation it will be interesting to see how long New Delhi can continue to convince the international community that they have everything under control. Islamabad also does not want the situation to break lose. The commitment to the diplomatic approach will be tested if there is chaos in the valley.
By no exaggeration, the issue of Kashmir can become a possible flash point between Pakistan and India, if the temperatures are not lowered. The international community, while keeping an eye on this will have to address this issue one way or the other before it blows up.
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