Pakistan's Sharif Asks UN Chief For Help On Kashmir Dispute

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to help address Pakistan's long-running dispute with India over the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sharif met with Ban in Tajikistan on the sidelines of an international conference on water issues.

While Pakistan has reached out to India and seeks a dialogue between the two long-time rivals, Sharif said, India has not responded. Sharif called recent statements by Indian leaders disappointing.

India and Pakistan have fought several wars over Jammu and Kashmir, parts of which are claimed by both countries, as well as China.

A call by the United Nations in the 1950s for a cease-fire and referendum vote to determine the future of the region was never carried out.

The region has been wracked by violence perpetrated by Muslim militant groups and Indian troops for years.

In December, Ban offered his services as a mediator.

"If both countries request it, I am ready to engage further to assist in resolving this issue," he told India news agency PTI.

Based on reporting by Express Tribune and Dawn