UN chief ‘paying attention’ to Kashmir border tension: Spokesperson

By Arul Louis

United Nations, May 2 (IANS) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "paying attention" to the India-Pakistan border tension, but UN observers have not received any reports from India about any recent ceasefire violations, Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.

Asked about India-Pakistan situation, Dujarric said: "We checked with our colleagues with UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan). We have not received any alleged ceasefire violations reports from the Indian authorities related to the latest incident that we saw yesterday."

On Monday, the Pakistani Army targeted a patrol on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the Krishna Ghati sector and killed and mutilated the bodies of an soldier and a Border Security Force trooper, India has said.

Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh and Head Constable Prem Sagar were killed in the attack carried out by the Border Action Team (BAT) made up of Pakistani military, Indian Army reported.

Pakistan has denied that its military was involved in the attack.

Dujarric denied a suggestion that UN observers were concerned only about the Pakistani side of the border because India restricted its operations.

"UNMOGIP is impartial," he said. "We are fully aware of operational environment in which UNMOGIP is forced to work."

India has said that UN observers, who first began operating on the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir in 1949, are no longer needed because under the 1971 Simla agreement, the disputes between the two countries are a bilateral matter.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)