‘India, Pakistan must exercise restraint’: UN Security Council condemns Pahalgam terror attack

The United Nations Security Council condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and said those responsible for the killings should be held accountable.

The UN body also expressed concern over recent developments in the region and said India and Pakistan must exercise restraint.

In a statement issued on Friday, UNSC President Jérôme Bonnafont said, “The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, during which at least 26 people were killed and many more injured.” The Council condoled the deaths and wished speedy recovery for those injured.

The Council stressed “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.”

The international security body said perpetrators of the gruesome terror attack must be held accountable and urged member nations to cooperate “actively” with the probe. “The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice,” it said.

As many as 26 persons were killed in a tragic terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. Twenty-four tourists from various Indian states and a Nepal national were killed in the worst attack in the Valley since the abrogation of Article 370.

India has vowed stern action against perpetrators and guilty won’t be spared.

Meanwhile, the United Nations expressed concern over recent developments in the region and urged India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint. “We again urge both the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further,” it said.

India announced a series of diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus water treaty and the suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals. Retaliating to India’s measures, Pakistan has closed its airspace for Indian airlines and suspension of Simla treaty.

Moreover, Pakistan has called for an international investigation into the killing of 26 men in Indian Kashmir and has said it is willing to work with international investigators, the New York Times reported on Friday, quoting Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Asif told the newspaper in an interview that Pakistan was “ready to cooperate” with “any investigation which is conducted by international inspectors.”

India has said there were Pakistani elements to the attack on Tuesday, but Islamabad has denied any involvement. The two countries both claim the mountainous region but each controls only part of it.
 
 
--With Agencies Inputs