Donald Trump urges Indo-Pak talks amid rising tension over Kashmir
Srinagar : United States President Donald Trump on Friday pitched for Indo-Pak talks to resolve differences over Kashmir during a phone call with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, said White House.
The statement from White House came amid severe tension between India and Pakistan, which got fuelled after PM Narendra Modi's government decided to scrap Article 370 of the Indian constitution, that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The matter got so sensitive that it went to the UNSC for a closed-door meeting on Friday.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed that the two had a "cordial conversation", and agreed to keep in touch over the Kashmir dispute. "Prime Minister Khan conveyed Pakistan's concern on recent developments in Kashmir and the threat they pose to regional peace," he was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan.
It has been reported that the two also discussed Afghanistan, where United States is in talks with the Taliban.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi later said in a press conference that Pakistan contacted four of the five permanent members of the UNSC to gain their support for its cause. Efforts were also made to contact the French President, he added.
India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Security, Syed Akbaruddin, said that Indian government is processing the gradual removal of all restrictions in Kashmir and the government is undertaking steps towards normalcy.
"Prevention is better than cure. Measures we took were preventive in nature. These efforts sometimes lead to restrictions. There was not one fatality," Mr Akbaruddin told reporters at the UN.
"These have no external ramifications, the recent decisions taken by the Government of India and our legislative bodies are intended to ensure that good governance is promoted, social economic development is enhance for our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," he said.
Speaking over Pakistan, he said, the neighboring nation must stop terror and head for peace talks. "Of particular concern is that one state is using terminology of 'jihad' against and promoting violence in India including by their leaders," he said.
The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations said that members of the UNSC generally feel both India and Pakistan should refrain from taking unilateral actions over Kashmir. The situation in Kashmir is "already very tense and dangerous," said Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun.
China is a permanent member of the UNSC and a close ally of Pakistan.
India, on August 5, scrapped Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
