Ban Ki-moon expresses concern over Kashmir, calls for dialogue: Pak

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today said UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon has deplored the loss of lives in the Kashmir unrest and offered his good offices to facilitate dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The Secretary-General made the remarks in response to a letter by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who had apprised him about the "grave situation in Kashmir where large-scale violations of human rights were being committed by Indian security forces", the Foreign Office (FO) said.

Ban called for avoidance of violence and once again offered his "good offices to facilitate dialogue for a negotiated settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute", the FO said.

"The UN SG has, inter alia, deplored the loss of life and hoped that all efforts will be made to avoid further violence," it said.

Ban added the UN was convinced it is only through dialogue that the outstanding issues between Pakistan and India, including on Kashmir, can be addressed. P

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