UN chief urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint amid rising tensions

New Delhi: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced concern over the escalating military standoff between India and Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. In a statement, Guterres urged both nations to “exercise restraint and de-escalate” to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

“At this critical juncture, there is a need to avoid a military confrontation, which could easily spiral out of control,” Guterres said, warning that military posturing would not resolve the issue.

He further called on India and Pakistan “not to make any mistakes” and reiterated that armed conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours is not a viable solution.

Offering the United Nations’ support, Guterres said, “The United Nations stands ready to support any initiative that promotes a renewed commitment to de-escalation, diplomacy and peace.”

His remarks came just hours ahead of a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the ongoing tensions. The emergency meeting was requested by Pakistan, a non-permanent member of the council.