UN chief visits Pakistan, India ceasefire monitoring mission in Islamabad

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid a visit Tuesday to the Islamabad headquarters of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

“You have been through extremely testing times through the years-but those challenges highlight the vital role that you play,” he told the mission, saying it operates in an extremely sensitive political environment and is entrusted with a difficult mandate.

Guterres said the mission’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate with dedication and professionalism was on full display in May last year.

India and Pakistan engaged in a cross-border conflict last May, which ended with a ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump.

“Day in and day out, you play a critical-indeed an essential — role with your visible presence on both sides of the Line of Control,” he said, thanking the mission for contributing to stability in the region, which he said was “not easy to maintain.”

The mission was established in 1949 to monitor the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the disputed Kashmir region.