Qureshi invites US diplomats to visit AJK, LoC

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday invited the US diplomats, currently in Pakistan after their India tour, to visit Azad Kashmir and the Line of Control (LoC).

He was talking to the media at his residence here, along with US delegation including Senator Chris Van Hollen and US Ambassador to Pakistan Paul W Jones.

Qureshi said Pakistan would welcome visit of any diplomat to the LoC and make arrangements for it. They can visit any part of Azad Kashmir, as Pakistan did not believe in concealing facts like India, added Qureshi.

The foreign minister said Senator Chris Van Hollen was going to table a bill in the US Senate on gross human rights violations in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He would also table an amendment bill on Kashmir, presented in the US Foreign Relations Committee, Qureshi added.

The US diplomats were in Multan on Saturday to participate in the inaugural ceremony of 780th Urs celebrations of Sufi saint Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya.

Qureshi told the media Senator Hollen was one of the four parliamentarians who had written a letter to US President Donald Trump about human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir. When a US Congressman is not allowed to visit the IOK, the world could understand the ground realities in the held Valley, added Qureshi. He thanked US President Trump, Senator Chris Van Hollen and Ambassador Paul Jones over their Kashmir stance.

The FM said Pakistan wanted restoration of basic human rights in the IOK, lifting of lockdown and an end to media blackout.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Chris Van Hollen said the world knew very well what was happening in occupied Kashmir and South Asia.

He said he was in India, but was not allowed to visit the held Kashmir. He said he discussed many issues with the Indian leadership including Kashmir. He said journalists and politicians should be allowed to visit held Kashmir.

The senator said President Donald Trump had offered mediation on Kashmir and his country believed that talks were the only option between India and Pakistan on Kashmir. Senator Hollen said the US would make efforts for resumption of talks between the neighbouring countries at the earliest.

He said a visit to Azad Kashmir was also part of his tour as he wanted to assess the ground realities personally. He appreciated Pakistan’s role in restoration of peace in the region.