Rouhani expresses concern over 'killing of innocent people' in occupied Jammu and Kashmir

Published August 11, 2019
Prime Minister Imran Khan called Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday to apprise him of the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. — AFP/File
Prime Minister Imran Khan called Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday to apprise him of the situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. — AFP/File

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, during a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, expressed concern over the "atrocities and killing of innocent people in occupied Jammu and Kashmir," a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said.

The call was made as part of PM Imran's outreach to world leaders with a view to apprise them of the grave situation in the region and to urge them to take action.

During the conversation, the prime minister underlined that India's move to change the status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir — which is internationally recognised as a disputed region — was in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

He also highlighted the serious threat of "massive killings as part of the crackdown by Indian forces" and called on the international community to play their part and act urgently to prevent "the impending calamity", according to the statement.

Take a look: Kashmir under curfew: Pre-dawn food run then rush home

PM Imran conveyed to President Rouhani Pakistan's willingness to resolve the dispute and how it had made "repeated calls and efforts" urging India to carve out a solution through peaceful means and in accordance with the UNSC resolutions.

"President Hassan Rouhani, while underlining that all possible efforts must be made to keep the regional tensions low, stressed that the Muslims of Kashmir must be able to use their legal rights and interests to be able to live in peace," read the PM Office statement.

It added that the Iranian leader "expressed his concerns over the atrocities and killing of innocent people" in the disputed region.

The prime minister "appreciated Iran's principled stance on the Kashmir issue and Iranian leadership's consistently strong voice in support of the rights and well-being of the people of Kashmir".

It was agreed by both leaders that "no military solution existed" to the long-standing dispute.

PM Imran "stressed that India should be counselled to immediately resolve the issue under the UN resolutions", the statement said.

The two leaders also "expressed satisfaction" that significant progress had been made to further strengthen the relations between Iran and Pakistan, particularly following the prime minister's visit to Tehran in April.

Opinion

Editorial

US asylum freeze
Updated 05 Dec, 2025

US asylum freeze

IT is clear that the Trump administration is using last week’s shooting incident, in which two National Guard...
Colours of Basant
05 Dec, 2025

Colours of Basant

THE mood in Lahore is unmistakably festive as the city prepares for Basant’s colourful kites to once again dot the...
Karachi’s death holes
05 Dec, 2025

Karachi’s death holes

THE lidless manholes in Karachi lay bare the failure of the city administration to provide even the bare necessities...
Protection for all
Updated 04 Dec, 2025

Protection for all

ACHIEVING true national cohesion is not possible unless Pakistanis of all confessional backgrounds are ensured their...
Growing trade gap
04 Dec, 2025

Growing trade gap

PAKISTAN’S merchandise exports have been experiencing a pronounced decline for the last several months, with...
Playing both sides
04 Dec, 2025

Playing both sides

THERE has been yet another change in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. The PML-N’s regional...