NEW YORK: In the wake of increased incidents of ceasefire violations across Line of Control (LOC) over the past ten days, UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres on Monday urged both Pakistan and India to resolve the issue through a dialogue to avert the causalities.

Responding to questions at the regular briefing in New York, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the UN chief is ready to mediate peace talks between India and Pakistan provided the two neighbours accept his good offices.

The spokesman underscored that the secretary general’s good offices work only when both parties agree to mediation, adding that the UN chief was following the situation in the disputed Kashmir region as clashes between the troops of two neighbouring countries along the LOC had escalated, and called for talks between the two countries.—INP