Guterres, at a joint press conference on Sunday following a meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad, said it is important that India and Pakistan de-escalate "militarily and verbally" and exercise "maximum restraint".

Guterres is in Pakistan to attend an international conference on Afghan refugees and visit the Sikh Kartarpur Sahib temple. The UN leader called on Pakistan to continue efforts to ensure sustainable peace in Afghanistan.