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Written by: Press Trust of Kashmir

Created: 23 July 2019

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said US President Donald Trump’'s "disclosure" on third party mediation on Kashmir is a "huge policy shift" and India and Pakistan must seize the opportunity to forge peace through dialogue. Trump claimed during his meeting with Pakistan Premier Imran Khan that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute.

The Ministry of External Affairs rejected Trump''s remarks, saying it has been India''s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. "Despite GOI refuting idea of third party mediation on J&K, the disclosure made by Trump marks a huge policy shift. Even though USA doesn''t hold a great record in resolving protracted conflicts, hope both countries seize this opportunity to forge peace through dialogue," Mehbooba, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said in a tweet. 

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• Says Kashmir’s most affected party of dispute, want early resolution

SRINAGAR: Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s Kashmir mediation offer. "Being the most affected party, the people of Kashmir want an early resolution to the lingering Kashmir conflict. I have been urging for dialogue at all levels. Every effort, pushing India and Pakistan in that direction, is welcomed by the people of J&K (sic)," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Mirwaiz in a statement said, “Being the most affected party, the people of Kashmir want an early resolution to the lingering Kashmir conflict.” He said he has been asking for dialogue at all levels and that every effort that pushes India and Pakistan in that direction is welcome by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, Donald Trump offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue as he met Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House for the first time, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also asked him to help with the Kashmir issue. Trump said that he is ready to help, if the two countries ask. "I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago…. And he actually said would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator? I said where? He said Kashmir. Because this has been going on for many-many years," Trump said in response to a question during his meeting with Prime Minister Khan in the Oval Office.

"If I can help, I would love to be a mediator," Trump added. India has been maintaining that the Kashmir issue was a bilateral one and no third party has any role. Khan welcomed Trump's remarks and said if the US agrees, prayers of more than a billion people will be with him. He was accompanied by Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi among others.

India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by Pakistan-based terrorists, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together. "I think they (Indians) would like to see it resolved. I think you (Khan) would like to see it resolved. And if I can help, I would love to be a mediator. It should be....we have two incredible countries that are very, very smart with very smart leadership, (and they) can't solve a problem like that. But if you would want me to mediate or arbitrate, I would be willing to do that," Trump said.

"We have a very good relationship with India. I know that your relationship (with India) is strained a little bit, maybe a lot. But we will be talking about India? (it's) a big part of our conversation today and I think maybe we can help intercede and do whatever we have to do. It's something that can be brought back together. We will be talking about India and Afghanistan both," Trump told Khan.

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SRINAGAR: All Parties Hurriyat Conference once again emphasized that issue of Kashmir is a political and humanitarian concern , lingering for the past seven decades and needs to be resolved keeping both these concerns in view urgently. On the statement of mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir issue by US President Donald Trump, APHC said that people of Kashmir being the most affected party in the conflict have always strongly advocated resolution through dialogue at all levels and among India and Pakistan and every effort and push in that direction is welcome.

Hurriyat said that India and Pakistan are two responsible nuclear power and should they decide, both India and Pakistan can get back to the table and a process can start where the concerns of all sides can be considered and addressed and steps initiated towards resolving the long pending Kashmir dispute.

It will put to end decades-long political uncertainty, perpetual strife and endless pain and miseries for the people of this ill-fated region and resources of both the countries can be put to use for the development of its people rather than to help the arms industry of others. Hurriyat said as in past they will extend all-out support to such a process. Hurriyat said they seek a peaceful resolution of the issue. Hurriyat said that United States and all other nations can play a role in asking both the neighbors to talk and resolve the festering Kashmir conflict once for all.