NEW DELHI: UN chief Ban Ki-moon has asked Pakistan and India to resolve their issues peacefully, through dialogue, against the backdrop of cancellation of foreign-secretary level talks between the two countries and continued ceasefire violations, local reports said here on Wednesday.

“The secretary-general calls on both sides to resolve the issues peacefully and through dialogue,” a statement given to Press Trust of India from the office of Mr Ban’s spokesperson in response to questions about the cancellation of the talks and ceasefire violations said.

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government cancelled the Aug 25 meeting scheduled in Islamabad between the foreign secretaries after Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit held talks with Kashmiri separatist leaders.

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has said that India has been responding effectively and strongly to what he termed ceasefire violations from the Pakistani side. India has also strengthened its counter-infiltration grid to tackle any attempt to push in militants during the ceasefire violations.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014