During the growing tussle between India and Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to both countries to show 'maximum restraint' on the issue.

General Secretary Guterres also reminded the 'Simla Agreement' signed in 1972 to resolve this issue. India has also been advocating a solution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir under the Simla Agreement.

The Narendra Modi government of India has abolished most of the provisions of Article 370 giving special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan has suspended the two-party trade in addition to reducing India's diplomatic level, expressing deep objection to this.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his country will raise the issue in various forums including the United Nations and the Security Council. At the same time, India has rejected the protest, calling it an internal matter.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the UN Secretary-General has issued a statement on his behalf.

This statement said, "The UN's position in the region is determined by the UN Charter and the Security Council resolutions."

The statement issued by the UN Secretary-General stated that he referred to the '1972 (Shimla) Agreement between India and Pakistan'.

The Simla Agreement states that "the final position on Jammu and Kashmir will be determined in a peaceful manner keeping in view the Charter of the United Nations".

However, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that his country will 'test the legal validity of the Simla Agreement'.

An agreement was reached between India and Pakistan in Shimla in 1972 after the 1971 war. At that time Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

China and Turkey have expressed concern over the situation.

The UN Secretary General has expressed concern over reports related to sanctions imposed in Kashmir by India. He worries that this may 'worsen the human rights situation in the region'.

The United Nations Secretary-General has asked all the parties not to take steps that affect the status of Jammu and Kashmir.

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