India says UN has no role to play in Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: The Narendra Modi government thinks the United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP) has no longer any role to play between Pakistan and India and has ordered it to vacate the government premises where they have been located free of charge for 40 years.

The free lunch is over, the UN has been told. Indian media reports say that the UN has been clearly told that “the UNMOGIP’s role has been overtaken by the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control. New Delhi is of the view that the UNMOGIP has no relevance or role to play whatsoever.”

The Foreign Office did not want to comment on media reports but the spokesperson told The News: “Even if true, such moves do not change the reality.”Meanwhile, an Indian official was quoted as saying: “They should stay in Srinagar and do what they want. In case they want to be stationed in Delhi, they should hire premises in a private property and not occupy the government property.”

It is only Pakistan that has time and again proposed to India to involve the UNMOGIP over disputes at the LoC as they are neutral observers and the ongoing blame game that follows skirmishes could come to an end.

But a strange philosophy governs New Delhi, where officially the UNMOGIP has offices in New Delhi and Srinagar with their mandate well known, but India refuses to involve them in any manner in disputes with Pakistan saying they do not want the third party involvement.

In keeping with the hawkish line that Modi has taken on Kashmir, it will not be long before the UNMOGIP office in Srinagar is also wrapped up.INP adds: According to Indian Express, the South Block has asked the UNMOGIP to vacate the bungalow — 1AB, Purana Qila Road — which has been serving as its office for the last four decades. The government accommodation — a Type VII bungalow, about 7,000 square feet — was allotted to the UN mission “free of charge”.

The UNMOGIP, established under a UN Security Council Resolution, was meant to supervise the ceasefire line established under the Karachi Agreement of July 1949.

When contacted, UNMOGIP’s Military Information Officer Major Tomas Malm, who is based in Srinagar, confirmed that the government has asked them to vacate the premises. “UNMOGIP’s response is to relocate to another location in Delhi,” he said. Asked if they have been told the reason for this directive, he said, “The Indian authorities’ reason is unknown to UNMOGIP.”Asked if the move reflected New Delhi’s stand towards the UNMOGIP, he said, “You have to ask the Indian government regarding their attitude towards us.”