‘Possibility of accidental war with India cannot be ruled out’

Geneva: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has refused to rule out the possibility of an ‘accidental war’ with India over the Kashmir issue.

Qureshi, who had come to attend the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) conference here, expressed apprehension about a sudden war over Kashmir in a conversation with reporters before leaving for his country.

He also appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to visit the ‘disturbed area’.

Qureshi said, “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, who on Tuesday appealed to the Human Rights Council to launch an international investigation into the situation in Kashmir, told 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.

Published on: Sep 13, 2019 at 19:29 IST

IANS