The United Nations has appointed Major General Per Lodin of Sweden to head the mission to monitor the ceasefire line between India and Pakistan. The region of Kashmir has been a point of dispute between India and Pakistan for more than 60 years and has led to three Indo-Pakistan wars, with both countries claiming it.

The UN announced on 8 June that Major General Lodin was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the Chief Military Observer and Head of Mission for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in India and Pakistan. Major General Lodin has had a military career in the Swedish Army since 1978 and will be reporting on ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, as well as reporting on developments that could lead to ceasefire violations.

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However, India has repeatedly shunned third-party involvement in the Kashmir border dispute and has called for the issue to be settled bilaterally. India has said that since both sides have agreed to a ceasefire line, the UN monitoring group for India and Pakistan is insignificant.

The Simla Agreement, signed by India and Pakistan in 1972, stated: "The two countries are resolved to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotations or by any other peaceful means mutually agreed upon between them.... neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation."

On 9 June, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Office said that India was violating human rights within the Kashmir region. According to Greater Kashmir, Muhammad Nafees Zakaria referred to Kashmir as an "occupied territory".

Indian soldiers
Indian soldiers look on from their position overlooking army barracks near the Line of Control (LoC) on the Indo-Pak border. ROUF BHAT/AFP/Getty Images

Foreign Office spokesperson Zakaria said: "International community is well aware of Kashmiris' difficulties during the last 70 years. India has systematically violated the Security Council resolutions over Kashmir and is trying to make geographical and ground realities changes in the occupied territory."

In May tensions were heightened when India proposed a law to ban maps or satellite images of the country unless they are approved by the government. Pakistan has expressed anger at the "incorrect" way Kashmir features in Indian maps, with the region shown as being entirely a part of India, rather than divided between Pakistan, India and China.