Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad discusses ‘evolving’ security situation in South Asia with UN chief

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Amid mounting India-Pakistan tensions, Pakistani Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday and discussed the latest developments in the region.

“The discussion focused on the evolving security situation in South Asia as well as the imperative of de-escalation and the efforts being made to that effect,” a press release issued by the Pakistan Mission to the UN said.

“The Ambassador reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability,” it added.

Earlier, in the day UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was asked at the regular UN briefing whether Guterres plans to travel to India and Pakistan as the situation was heating up.

Dujarric replied that the UN chief had offered his good offices during his phone calls to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in the wake of the armed attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir . “So I don’t think there would be any travel until there’s a clear message that, as in any instance where we have high tensions between two countries, that they’ve both accepted his good offices,” he added.