US President Trump, Modi discuss Kashmir issue: White House

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday in a telephonic conversation with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged to reduce tension between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.

“The president conveyed the importance of reducing tensions between India and Pakistan and maintaining peace in the region,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement.

“The two leaders further discussed bilateral issues and regional peace.

It must be noted that the Security Council’s emergency meeting held after 50 years on Friday had nullified Indian claims that Kashmir is their internal matter.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr Maleeha Lodhi while talking to media along with Chinese envoy to the United Nations, after the UNSC meeting in New York, said the meeting was briefed on the latest developments and the dismal human rights situation in occupied Kashmir.

She added that the voices of Kashmiris were heard at the meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, while talking to media said that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute which should be resolved according to the UN Charter. He also opposed the unilateral action taken by India over occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the authorities continue to impose strict curfew across Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) on the 15th consecutive day on Monday to prevent people from holding demonstrations against India’s move of abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

On August 5, the Indian government had announced the scrapping of the special status of occupied Kashmir by revoking Article 370 of the Indian constitution.