UNGA chief Yang urges restraint as India, Pakistan tensions escalate

Concerned over the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Philemon Yang on Thursday urged the neighbours to exercise restraint and initiate steps to defuse the tension.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Yang also advocated dialogue and diplomatic solutions in line with the UN Charter and international law for lasting peace.

Yang's appeal comes a day after India's Operation Sindoor early Wednesday hitting nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province of Pakistan followed by one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targetting forward Indian villages along the LoC by Pakistan army. 

I am deeply concerned about the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan. I call for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and for an immediate de-escalation, the UNGA president wrote on X.

Yang also denounced terrorism and attacks on civilians, saying that UN Charter should be followed in letter and spirit to resolve vexing issues for lasting peace.

I reiterate my condemnation of all terrorist attacks and attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, he said.

I firmly believe that dialogue and diplomatic solutions in line with the UN Charter and international law are the only ways to resolve differences and achieve lasting peace and stability, Yang added. 

India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday, hitting nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province of Pakistan in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Pakistan army has said 31 people were killed and 57 others injured in the Indian missile strikes launched shortly after midnight.

Separately, at least 13 people, including four children and a soldier, were killed and 57 injured as the Pakistan army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targetting forward villages along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian missile strikes.