UN offers help in defusing Pakistan-India tensions

E-Paper | March 11, 2026

UNITED NATIONS: Expressing deep concern “at the increase in tensions between India and Pakistan”, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has asked both sides to exercise maximum restraint and offered his “good offices” to ease the crisis.

Take a look: Regional unrest won't serve anyone's interests, says foreign minister

“The secretary general stresses the importance for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions. His good offices are available if accepted by both sides,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary general, while responding to a question at a media briefing.

Pakistan has accepted such offers by the UN chief in the past, but India has been reluctant to involve the world body in an issue that it terms a bilateral dispute.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2019

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Gordon D. Walker

Feb 20, 2019 08:00am

Excellent move by the U N. Reason must prevail... Peace! Gordon D. Walker Canada

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Abdul Gaffar jamal

Feb 20, 2019 08:05am

Why India is not accepting the offer of UNITED NATIONS to defuse tension and resolve DIspute on Indian occupied Kashmir.

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Multilateral issue

Feb 20, 2019 08:08am

Illegal occupation cannot be bilateral..its time for world to resolve otherwise poor Kashmiris keep getting killed.

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Malatesh

Feb 20, 2019 08:08am

No need..

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bhaRAT©

Feb 20, 2019 08:12am

Modi regime only believes in bully bluster and false propeganda. They don't believe in talking like mature civilised people.

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PrakashG

Feb 20, 2019 08:14am

Maybe Pakistan should avail his good offices to settle boundary dispute with Afghanistan, and see how THAT goes.

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Jamil Soomro, New York City

Feb 20, 2019 08:24am

A timely just plea by the U.N.Secretary General Mr.Antonio Guterres to both India and Pakistan.Both countries should send their Foreign Ministers to New York City for the Meeting to defuse this volatile tense situation.The Prime purpose of United Nations is to maintain Peace in the world.Pakistan and India are Members of United Nations.

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rakesh

Feb 20, 2019 08:29am

No one going to listen UN.

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Tamza

Feb 20, 2019 08:35am

YES. Of course india will reject this with a ‘bilateral matter’ excuse.

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Chopra

Feb 20, 2019 08:42am

The countdown has begun. This cannot be stopped now.

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khan

Feb 20, 2019 08:48am

you must be kidding

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Gordon D. Walker

Feb 20, 2019 08:51am

You can go to the U N, or you can go to violence on an epic scale! Reason must trump passion... Or, is there another solution? Gordon D. Walker Canada

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pakistani

Feb 20, 2019 08:53am

Who is UN?

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Rajput

Feb 20, 2019 08:57am

UN has no role to play after Shimla Agreement.

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Deee

Feb 20, 2019 08:58am

India has a very consistent reluctance to involve any third party mediation

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Ahmed bin Babar

Feb 20, 2019 08:59am

We should focus on permanent solution of the Kashmir issue, this cycle of infuse & defuse is to sweep under the carpet and then wake up with new tensions...

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majid

Feb 20, 2019 08:59am

India only understand the language of violence and war not peace.

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A Sane Pak

Feb 20, 2019 09:00am

There is only one solution whether India realize and accept the facts now or later. Occupation of a large estate or country never lasts long. Let Kashmiris choose and help them settle down.

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majid

Feb 20, 2019 09:01am

Modi is using this incident to gain his political ground.

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Feb 20, 2019 09:06am

India will get exposed of its atrocities in Kashmir as such it will not accept U N mediation. It also does not have concrete evidence to prove Pakistan was involved in the attack.

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Zeeshandxb

Feb 20, 2019 09:12am

@rakesh, and why are you guys members of UN then?

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The Truth Spy

Feb 20, 2019 09:15am

what tension? we grew-up together in this tension

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Akram

Feb 20, 2019 09:15am

Thanks for the offer but India doesn’t want to defuse the situation. Maybe after their election

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Aqil Siddiqi

Feb 20, 2019 09:27am

UN is just another Ametican entity......they should dissolve UN......

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SkyHawk

Feb 20, 2019 09:30am

UN should first notice the Indian atrocities, severe human rights violations, and Indian terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

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PAF Thunder

Feb 20, 2019 09:32am

No thanks UN. We can handle India.

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Jiwan

Feb 20, 2019 09:40am

UN is out of question in this issue.

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Umar Makhdumi

Feb 20, 2019 09:47am

The UN Secretary General is more than right on this highly sensitive issue. The UN should leave no stone unturned in bringing both India and Pakistan to the negotiating table.

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Asif A. Shah

Feb 20, 2019 10:06am

Oppression of Kashmiri people and peace in Kashmir cannot co-exist. The only question is how long India can shamelessly hold on to Kashmir.

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Haris

Feb 20, 2019 10:15am

India thinks, its easy...

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NPS

Feb 20, 2019 10:23am

UN has no mandate. It is a bilateral issue between two countries.

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Hassan

Feb 20, 2019 10:25am

India will never ever think of it. They are terrorists. Exporter of terrorist. Their religion promotes false propaganda. Hindus are Terrorist Indians are terrorist

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Su 30

Feb 20, 2019 10:32am

@PAF Thunder, how??

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Bangash

Feb 20, 2019 10:46am

Time to refrain from disputes and find a permanent solution for Kashmir and Kashmiris.

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Sehar

Feb 20, 2019 10:50am

@Hassan , keep repeating it if it makes you feel better but the world knows who is who

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Rauflala

Feb 20, 2019 10:53am

It's bilateral issue no need of intervention of third party.

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SHAHID SATTAR

Feb 20, 2019 11:05am

The Indians only need the help of the United Nations or its Security Council when they are in trouble or losing a battle. Otherwise they have no utility for them. It is their standard norm which can be verified from history. That provides them with an opportunity to delay the solution to any problems which would go against their interests.

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Dilawar

Feb 20, 2019 11:05am

@rakesh, "No one going to listen UN." That's why India will NEVER be granted permanent seat of UNSC.

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Dilawar

Feb 20, 2019 11:05am

@rakesh, "No one going to listen UN." & you dream of a permanent member of UNSC. Which basis?

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Dilawar

Feb 20, 2019 11:09am

@Deee, That is not because what you think. That is because indians stink to the third parties.

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Dilawar

Feb 20, 2019 11:09am

@Rajput, India has no role in the permanent seat of UNSC.

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M.Sethi

Feb 20, 2019 11:16am

Time for the world to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance to the aspirations of Kashmiris.

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yash

Feb 20, 2019 11:29am

i wish if you could impose not help. Pending UNSC resolutions to settle down the bone of contention between Pakistan and India are big question mark on your efficacy and authority.

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Yusooer

Feb 20, 2019 11:30am

@bhaRAT©, one can only do that if the other party is matured and civilised!

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Jiwan

Feb 20, 2019 11:45am

@Gordon D. Walker, I don't think that you know what are the reasons.

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Tariq Sardar

Feb 20, 2019 11:47am

Excellent move by UN to find the truth, both India & Pakistan need to Collaborate . If there are genuine links with banned groups in Pakistan, we should support Imran to punish these people once and for all.

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SATT

Feb 20, 2019 11:58am

This time Indian army will solve the Kashmir issue forever.

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Kumar

Feb 20, 2019 11:59am

So UN has solved Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Palestine issues and now has a lot of time and expertise to solve Kashmi

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Advise

Feb 20, 2019 12:15pm

@Chopra, and stopped

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Ishrat Salim

Feb 20, 2019 12:16pm

@Jamil Soomro, New York City, Had the world body and international community been serious to resolve the issue, UN resolution passed by the majority nation is already there to hold plebiscite in held Kashmir, but it is India who has been refusing all this time to implement it.

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Ishrat Salim

Feb 20, 2019 12:18pm

@NPS, if it is so, then why not sit & settle the issue ? we have offered dialog a number of times, but the whole world has seen that it is India ho has been refusing to sit down.

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Ishrat Salim

Feb 20, 2019 12:20pm

@Rauflala, if it is so, why not both the country sit & settle it ? pakistan is on record to have offered olve branch for dialog to settle the issue, but the whole world is a witness to India`s non-serious attitude.

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Gaurav

Feb 20, 2019 12:31pm

@Bangash, - "Time to refrain from disputes and find a permanent solution for Kashmir and Kashmiris." Yes, Indian army is working on a Permanent solution. Be a little patient.

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Dr Accountant

Feb 20, 2019 12:42pm

@PrakashG, That's the problem with you Indians, you don't want to talk/look at the problem that you have created (i.e. Occupied Kashmir) and instead point towards something that's a non-issue for India. UN in this case has offered both Indian and Pakistan a chance to defuse the farcical tension created by India.!

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Feb 20, 2019 01:02pm

No never

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Ceejay

Feb 20, 2019 01:43pm

When UN cannot resolve Israel and Palestine issue from decades, how will it resolve Kashmir issue?

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Akram

Feb 20, 2019 01:48pm

@Gaurav, “Yes, Indian army is working on a Permanent solution. Be a little patient.” Don’t forget how Hitler’s permanent solution ended.

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Md Asghar

Feb 20, 2019 01:53pm

Whatever the Indian diversions, the Kashmir issue remains and will remain the basic problem to be solved for peace in the region.

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Danger Dave

Feb 20, 2019 02:46pm

India has more to gain from implementing UN rulings in Kashmir. More happiness, and faster capital for example. And yes, we've read UN resolution. Nowhere it states that Kashmir is any part of India.

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Ali Kazmi

Feb 20, 2019 02:53pm

@Gaurav, You cannot kill an entire nation with pallet guns.

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Jamil

Feb 20, 2019 04:12pm

@rakesh, so why did India go to international court for kulbushan, and asks international community to help isolate and put pressure on Pakistan, if it doesn’t believe in outside mediation on resolving Kashmir. It can’t have it’s cake and eat it!

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Shahrukhkhan

Feb 20, 2019 06:04pm

I any country don't accept the offers of UN so other countries should take a strict action against her specially UN because if they start fighting with eachother probably its can lead to 3rd world war and will not only distroy eachother but can also have a thread to neighbor countries.

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Dude

Feb 21, 2019 01:01am

@PrakashG, Maybe you should learn to be mature.

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