Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said though Kashmir was a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, yet the United States and world powers should play their role to persuade India start mediation talks on Kashmir dispute.
“Contrary to the past, the US and India presently have very good relationship and if the US wants, it can use its influence over India for resolution of Kashmir dispute,” he told a private TV channel.
He said resolution of Kashmir issue was a must for peace and stability in the region.
Responding to US President Donald Trump’s reiteration of offer to mediate between Pakistan and India on the decades-long Kashmir conflict, Qureshi said India was avoiding the talks and did not appear willing to negotiate on the matter.
Trump, in his meeting last month with Prime Minister Imran Khan, had offered to help to resolve the Kashmir issue. The US president earlier this week reiterated the offer to intervene during a conversation with reporters at the White House.
“Trump offered mediation keeping in view the regional situation. We thank [him] for the offer, and we have expressed our willingness,” Qureshi said.
“We want peace. Our focus right now is the Afghan peace process. If India [tries to] create any obstacle to the peace process in Afghanistan, then regional peace will suffer.
“India won’t agree easily to the Kashmir talks. [We urge] the US to exercise its influence and persuade India [to come to the table],” the foreign minister said, adding that he was writing a letter to the United Nations secretary general in this regard.
