*UNITED NATIONS: Pakistani Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi underscored theimperative need for ensuring that the crisis triggered by India’s ‘unlawfulannexation’ of Jammu and Kashmir was addressed in accordance with UnitedNations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.*
The envoy said this during her meeting with the UN’s political affairschief on Thursday amid intense diplomatic activity, according to informedsources.
Her meeting with Rosemary DiCarlo, Under Secretary-General for PoliticalAffairs, was part of a series of contacts she has been making to briefsenior UN officials and diplomats from all regions of the world aboutPakistan’s stand on the Indian government decision to strip occupiedKashmir of its special status and placing the disputed state under alockdown.
A statement issued later on behalf of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterresacknowledged the critical importance of UN resolutions on Kashmir to dealwith the crisis.
Ambassador Lodhi also met three non-permanent members of the UN SecurityCouncil — Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa — as India, obviously on backfoot, also stepped up its campaign to have the world believe that thedecision was taken for the socio-economic development of the Kashmiris andthat they enjoy the same rights as the Indians.
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Briefing Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo, the Pakistani envoy focused onthe illegality of Indian action, and called on the United Nations,especially the Secretary-General, to clearly enunciate its position on thesubject, according to the sources.
She also informed Ms. DiCarlo about the complete lockdown in occupied Jammuand Kashmir, including shut down of internet services and land-lines thathad begun even before the announcement about the controversial decision onKashmir.
Lodhi also briefed her about continued Indian ceasefire violations acrossthe Line of Control, the most egregious of which was the use of clustermunitions a day before announcing the abrogation of the IndianConstitution’s Article 370, which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
