Burning issue

Pakistan and India have fought three deadly wars after their independence that stops both countries from developing strong ties (“FM urges US to persuade India for talks on Kashmir,” Aug.3, Gulf Today).

Pakistan is ready to talk to India on every outstanding issue including Kashmir that is the biggest hurdle between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday urged the US to persuade India to start mediation talks on the Kashmir issue. His remarks come at a time when the US President Donald Trump has said that “it is up to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi” to accept America’s offer to intervene in the Kashmir issue while India has clearly rejected mediation on the matter.

Talking to journalists, the foreign minister said that India has raised questions on the US’ offer to initiate mediation talks.

Qureshi also said that India is avoiding talks on this issue and does not seem willing to address the matter.

Commenting on human rights violations in Kashmir, he said that on the one hand India is saying that Kashmir is a bilateral matter, but even then it is not ready to come to the negotiating table.

The foreign minister added: “Trump has given the mediation proposal in view of the regional situation, and we thank him for this. India will not agree to negotiate easily. We appeal to the US to use its influence to persuade India to start talks.” He also said that he is going to write a letter to the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in this regard.

I think it is the best time to work together (Pakistan, India and United States) to resolve the Kashmir issue once and for all for the best interest of people of both the countries and to make the region a peaceful place for everyone.

Asima Siddiqui
By email