UNITED NATIONS: A senior United Nations (UN) official has told the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations that the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region remains intact, with only two reported violations in 2023, according to diplomatic sources.
Addressing the 157-member Committee, also known as C-34, Khaled Khairi, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific in the Department of Political Affairs, highlighted the UN’s ongoing implementation of its mandate for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), tasked with monitoring the LoC as per Security Council resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.
Khairi underscored the increasing challenges faced by the mission in obtaining visas, hindering its ability to fulfill its mandate effectively.
Established in 1949, UNMOGIP stands as the second-longest-running UN peacekeeping mission.
Despite India’s persistent challenges, including visa issues and limitations on UNMOGIP’s movement in Indian-occupied Kashmir, the mission continues to play a crucial role in observing and reporting on the LoC situation, contributing to regional peace and stability.
Khairi also raised concerns about the closure of the Sialkot-Jammu border crossing since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Committee initiated negotiations for its 2024 report, with Naeem Sabir Khan, a counselor at the Pakistan Mission to the UN, serving as one of the co-facilitators.
