India-Pakistan must resolve issues through peaceful talks, says UN chief Ban Ki-moon

United Nations: UN chief Ban Ki-moon has asked India and Pakistan to resolve their issues peacefully and through dialogue, against the backdrop of cancellation of foreign-secretary level talks between the two nations and continued ceasefire violations by Pakistan along border posts.

“The Secretary-General calls on both sides to solve the issues peacefully and through dialogue,” according to a statement given from the office of Ban’s spokesperson in response to questions about the cancellation of the talks and ceasefire violations.

The statement did not respond to a question whether the UN chief would intervene in the tensed situation and encourage the leaders from the two countries to meet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government cancelled the August 25 meeting scheduled in Islamabad between the foreign secretaries after Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatist leaders. Also, ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control and the International Border have increased over the last few weeks.

There have been 21 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in less than a fortnight and 23 in August.

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has said in New Delhi that India has been responding effectively and strongly to the ceasefire violations by Pakistan side.

India has also further strengthened its counter infiltration grid to tackle any attempt by Pakistan to push in militants during the ceasefire violations.