United Nations says no to Pakistan's appeal for intervention on J&K issue
United Nations: UN chief Antonio Guterres has recalled the Simla Agreement of 1972, a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan that rejects third-party mediation in Kashmir after Islamabad asked him to play his "due role" following New Delhi's decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the daily press briefing that the Secretary General has been following the situation in Jammu and Kashmir "with concern and makes an appeal for maximum restraint".
The Secretary-General also "recalls the 1972 Agreement on bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, also known as the Simla Agreement, which states that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
The emphasis by the UN Chief on the Simla Agreement, that states that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and does away with any third-party mediation, comes just a day after Pakistan's envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi met Guterres' Chef de Cabinet Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti asking the Secretary General to "play his due role" following India's decision on Monday to revoke Article 370.
Lodhi also met President of UN Security Council for the month of August Polish Ambassador Joanna Wronecka over Kashmir.
"No comments," Wronecka said at the Security Council stakeout at the UN headquarters Thursday, walking away as she was asked about the letter from Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the Security Council on Kashmir.
It needs to be noted here that the Secretary General did not offer his good offices nor did he make any offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir. Instead he referred to the Simla Agreement, which is a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan and rejects any third-party mediation in the issue.
Guterres also called "on all parties to refrain from taking steps" that could affect the status of Jammu and Kashmir, comments that come in the wake of Pakistan's decision to downgrade diplomatic relations with India and suspend bilateral trade.
Pakistan also announced that it will not be sending its High Commissioner-designate to India. Pakistan's new High Commissioner Moin-ul-Haq was expected to leave for India this month to take up his responsibilities.
Dujarric said the "position of the United Nations on this region is governed by the Charter of the United Nations and applicable Security Council resolutions."
When asked if the Secretary General plans to bring the Kashmir issue to the Security Council, Dujarric replied, "I'm not aware of any plans to brief", adding that the letter from the Pakistani Foreign Minister was circulated to the Security Council at their request.
"There've been contacts from the Secretariat both with Indian authorities and the Pakistani authorities," he said, adding that contacts have been made between the UN Secretariat and the Permanent Missions of India and Pakistan.
When asked to be more specific on the position of the United Nations, Dujarric said "I'm not going to go into any more specifics."
On whether the Secretary General thinks that there is a need to monitor the situation in Kashmir closely through a Special Envoy, Dujarric said: "The Secretary-General is following the situation very closely. The Secretariat is following the situation very closely, but I have nothing to announce or to hint at towards the issue of a Special Envoy.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
