PM Khan’s policy statement on Kashmir today

ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Imran Khan will give a policy statement regarding the situation in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir during his visit to Azad Kashmir on Friday, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

“The policy statement is part of Pakistan’s continued struggle for the Kashmir cause,” Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammed Faisal said at a weekly media briefing.

He said several other steps were also under consideration regarding Indian-administered Kashmir and would be shared as the situation unfolded.

The spokesman said the struggle for Kashmir was a continued process, not an event. “Our stance is loud and clear that the all issues with India including the Kashmir dispute can be resolved through dialogue,” he added.

The spokesman termed as ‘speculative’ media reports which quoted the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the UAE as saying that Kashmir issue should not be linked with Ummah during their recent visit to Pakistan. “Instead, the visit of the two foreign ministers affirmed Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s solidarity with Pakistan and also support for the Kashmir cause,” he said.

Regarding any follow-up to the mediation offer by US President Donald Trump on the Kashmir dispute, Faisal said there were already offers by several other countries. However, India was not ready to come to the dialogue table.

He said India’s negative response was delaying the solution of the issue, which was creating a humanitarian crisis in the disputed territory.

Replying to a question on the stalemate in talks between the United States and the Taleban, he said Pakistan wanted all sides to exercise restraint and refrain from violence.

About the decision to charge a $20 fee from visitors of Kartarpur, the spokesman clarified that it was a service fee meant to share 10 to 15 per cent expenditure of construction and other facilities including roads, buses, reception centre etc.

Responding to a question on any meeting expected in future between Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav with Indian diplomats, the spokesman said: “There is no other meeting.” —