UN Secretary General Guterres Talks Pahalgam With Jaishankar, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

New Delhi: Speaking with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres about the Pahalgam terror attack on Tuesday (April 29), external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said India was determined to bring the attack’s perpetrators, planners and backers to book, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denied India’s “baseless” accusations and warned that Pakistan would defend itself “with full force if challenged”.

Guterres spoke separately with Jaishankar and Sharif about the attack, where he expressed “deep concern” at escalating tensions between the two countries and “underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences”.

He condemned the attack and spoke of the importance of securing justice in its wake through lawful means, his spokesperson Stephen Dujarric said in a statement. Guterres also offered a UN role in supporting de-escalation efforts.

But this is likely to be a non-starter because India argues that the Kashmir dispute is a purely bilateral matter. Pakistan on the other hand maintains that the UN and the resolutions of its security council have a role in mediating the conflict.

Jaishankar acknowledged the meeting on X, saying he appreciated Guterres’ condemnation of the attack and that he “agreed on the importance of accountability”.

India is determined to bring the “perpetrators, planners and backers” of the attack to justice, he added.

New Delhi has enacted diplomatic measures against Islamabad in its wake. The latter responded with retaliatory moves and since then troops on either side have exchanged small arms fire along the Line of Control.

Sharif wrote that during his conversation with Guterres he reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of all forms of terrorism, “rejected baseless Indian accusations” and called for a transparent and neutral probe into the attack, in which terrorists shot 26 civilians dead on April 22.

He also called on the UN to “play its role” in resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute “in line with UNSC resolutions” and warned that Islamabad would “defend its sovereignty with full force if challenged”.

Meanwhile, Jaishankar also said he spoke with his counterparts in seven of the ten non-permanent members of the UN Security Council – Algeria, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia – about the Pahalgam attack.

The foreign minister of the UAE also spoke with Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.

Jaishankar said the two spoke about the “need to counter terrorism effectively in all its forms and manifestations”.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.