Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday welcomed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting to discuss the serious situation in Indian-held Kashmir.

“It is for the first time in over 50 yrs (years) that the world’s highest diplomatic forum has taken up this issue. There are 11 UNSC resolutions reiterating the Kashmiris right to self-determination,” the prime minister wrote in a series of tweets said. “I welcome the UNSC meeting to discuss the serious situation in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.

He further said that the UNSC meeting is a reaffirmation of these resolutions. “Therefore addressing the suffering of the Kashmiri people & ensuring resolution of the dispute is the responsibility of this world body,” he further tweeted. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday expressed serious concerns regarding the human rights situation in Indian-held Kashmir, and urged the parties concerned to refrain from taking any unilateral action that may further aggravate the tension in the occupied valley.

The members met for the first time in over five decades over the issue of Kashmir at the request of China and Pakistan to discuss the Indian government’s recent decision to revoke the special status of the occupied valley and the dangerous situation arising out of the move.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan postponed his pre-scheduled visit to Lahore due to rising tensions in Kashmir and cross-border firing incidents at the Line of Control (LoC).

As reported earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan was to visit Lahore in an official capacity where he was set to kick-start a plantation drive. He was scheduled to plant a sapling at the Multan road area of Lahore with an aim to promote a cleaner and greener Pakistan. He was also scheduled to meet Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar and Governor Chaudhry Sarwar during the visit.