Pakistan’s Permanent Representative-designate to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar, has said that the escalating tensions in South Asia are a direct consequence of India’s unilateral and unlawful actions in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, warning that the region remains one of the world’s most volatile nuclear flashpoints.
Speaking at a press briefing in Washington, Iftikhar underscored that India’s August 5, 2019 decision to revoke the special status of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and alter its demographic structure was a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. “The current crisis is not a coincidence—it is the outcome of calculated and illegal steps taken by India in defiance of international norms,” he stated.
Iftikhar added that Pakistan has officially invited the United Nations Secretary-General to visit the region to witness the situation firsthand. “The international community recognises that Jammu and Kashmir is a nuclear flashpoint. Pakistan has consistently demonstrated responsibility and restraint—we expect India to do the same,” he said.
He reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the framework laid out by the United Nations. “This is a test for the credibility of the international system. Silence is no longer an option,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, called on U.S. President Joe Biden to assume an active role in defusing tensions. In an interview with an American television network, Ambassador Sheikh noted, “President Biden calls himself a global peacemaker—this is a critical moment to translate that commitment into action.”
He warned that the stakes could not be higher. “Kashmir is the world’s only active nuclear flashpoint. A miscalculation or escalation here would have catastrophic consequences far beyond the region,” he said.
Sheikh recalled that the international community has previously intervened to avert crises in South Asia and stressed that now is the time to revive that spirit of preventive diplomacy. “This is not just an opportunity—it is an obligation to help resolve one of the longest-standing disputes on the UN agenda,” he said.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s transparency, Sheikh pointed out that the country’s leadership has offered independent investigations into recent developments. “We await India’s response. Making baseless allegations while evading scrutiny only exposes India’s duplicity. Truth does not fear investigation,” he asserted.
The statements come amid renewed diplomatic engagement by Pakistan to highlight the urgency of resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with international law, regional stability, and the principles of justice and human rights.
