World capitals call for third party mediation on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is observing keenly as voices are being raised in world capitals and recently inside Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) itself, that it is time for third party mediation on the Kashmir dispute, which is reaching the point of no return.

Events inside IHK now see the thrashing of police personnel in Ganderbal by army soldiers, which made Hurriyat’s Syed Ali Geelani remarks, “This is a bitter lesson for those officials and officers “who for medals and material gains behave as more loyal than the king. It should also serve as an eye opener for all that even the men in uniform are not safe in Jammu and Kashmir”.

Besides, this incident shows the grave situation the common civilians in the state are facing,” Hurriyat (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said in a statement.

This week, it was Farooq Abdullah, from the National Conference, who has traditionally towed New Delhi’s policies, finally concluding that India should take help from its friends to solve this dispute as dialogue was the only solution.

“Till what time should we wait? How many more wars will India and Pakistan fight? The way out is through dialogue. Use your friends….Use them for dialogue to resolve the issue”, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir told the local media.

Pakistan is not likely to comment on what is a welcoming statement coming from a Kashmiri who has been aligned with various Indian governments, but the Foreign Office here has always welcomed third party mediation, especially since Islamabad is unresponsive to ‘conditional’ dialogue proposals from New Delhi.

On Thursday, the spokesman at the Foreign Office was asked about a proposal from the spokesman at the Chinese Foreign Office in which he said that Beijing was willing to play a "constructive role" in improving India-Pakistan ties, especially after the increased hostility along the Line of Control (LoC).

Welcoming this, the spokesman here remarked, “We share international community’s growing concern over the deteriorating situation at the LoC due to Indian belligerent posturing, to divert international attention from its atrocities in IHK. Pakistan believes in resolving all issues through dialogue. UN SG, US president, Chinese leadership and others have expressed concern and offered to play role in lessening the tension and resolving the core issue of Kashmir, which we have welcomed”.

In fact apart from the UN, US and China, earlier Russia too had offered to mediate and as expected Islamabad had welcomed this offer. "Good offices is a standing offer," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric had said earlier, underscoring that the secretary general’s good offices worked only when both parties agreed to mediation.

"It is the UN's responsibility to intervene in the matter and get the issue resolved," FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said at a press briefing, adding that the body should play its role in order to get UN resolutions implemented.

Farooq Abdullah wondered why Delhi was hesitating when, ”US President Donald Trump has said he wants to settle the Kashmir problem. We did not ask him for it (help). China has also said it wants to mediate in Kashmir”.

Saying that it was time to take the bull by the horns, Abdullah added, "You haven't spoken for 70 years... four wars have happened," Till what time should we wait? Should we wait for a thousand years? You have to take the bull by the horns. You have to do it sometimes. They (Pakistan) have atom bomb, so have you. How many people will you kill? This is not the way”.

The Foreign Office spokesman had also referred to the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers which had recently strongly condemned state terrorism in IHK and called upon India to immediately stop the bloodshed of innocent Kashmiris.

“They called upon both India and the international community to implement UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir. APHC leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were not allowed by Indian occupying authorities in IHK to participate in the 44th OIC session of Council of Foreign Ministers”, the spokesman had remarked.

The 56-member Council of the Foreign Ministers recognised Kashmir as the core issue between India and Pakistan and underscored that its resolution was the key to ensuring lasting peace and security in the region. The Council rejected Indian attempts to equate Kashmiris' indigenous movement for self-determination with terrorism.

”Solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris of IHK has been expressed across the world in the form of peaceful demonstrations across the UK, Europe and North America. Kashmir dispute's reflection in the UK Labour Party's election manifesto, and in the Jan 19 debate in the House of Commons of the UK, represent increasing concern over the current unacceptable human rights situation in IHK”, added the spokesman.