Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the possibility of an “accidental war” with India over the Kashmir issue cannot be ruled out. Qureshi said this while addressing media at the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) before leaving for his country.
He further appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to visit the ‘disturbed area’.
“I believe both Pakistan and India understand the consequences of a conflict. But you cannot rule out the possibility of accidental war due to the constant increase in tension. If things continue like this, then anything can happen,” Qureshi said.
The comments come weeks after a Pakistani minister had reportedly predicted a “full-blown war between Pakistan and India likely to occur in the month of October or November”.
According to reports, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, while addressing a ceremony in Rawalpindi, said that the war with India will be the “last this time”.
A day after the Indian government abrogated Article 370, Imran Khan had warned of “Pulwama-like incidents to happen again”.
Qureshi also told the reporters that he had spoken to Bachelet and had invited her to visit both the Indian and Pakistani parts of the region.
“She should visit both places and report as objectively as she can so that the world knows what the true… situation is,” he said.
Qureshi ruled out the possibility of bilateral talks to resolve the tensions.
“In this environment and with the mindset that we see in New Delhi today, I do not see any room for a bilateral engagement,” he said, adding that a multilateral forum or a third-party mediator would likely be needed.
Earlier, the Pakistan foreign minister had said that his country was ready for “conditional” bilateral talks with India.
Earlier on Tuesday, India and Pakistan had a major face-off at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with the representatives of both the countries asserting their stand on Kashmir.
Pakistan tried to present a false narrative on Kashmir with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi stating that the Valley had been converted into the “largest prison” with people being denied access to basic amenities following the abrogation of Article 370.
Pakistan further asked the Council to conduct an international investigation, urging the world rights body not to remain “indifferent” over India’s move on Kashmir.
However, the Indian delegation led by Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs Vijay Thakur Singh, effectively rebutted Pakistan’s allegations on human rights violations in Kashmir.
India said there was a need to call out those who are “misusing” the United Nations Human Rights Council platform for “malicious political agenda under the garb of human rights.”