MEA responds to UNSG's mediation offer on Kashmir, says 'focus should be on vacating PoK'

Responding to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' offer to mediate over Kashmir, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday rejected the proposal reiterating the fact that Kashmir remains a bilateral issue. It also added that the main focus should be on vacating the "territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan".

"India's position has not changed. Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will continue to be an integral part of India. The issue that needs to be addressed is that of vacation of the territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan. Further issues, if any, would be discussed bilaterally. There is no role or scope for third party mediation," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said pointing out at Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The MEA's reply came in response to a media query regarding comments made by Guterres in Islamabad.

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"We hope the UN Secretary-General would emphasize on the imperative for Pakistan to take a credible, sustained and irreversible action to put an end to cross-border terrorism against India, which threatens the most fundamental human right - the right to life, of the people of India, including in J&K," he added bringing the attention to terror activities against India sponsored and planned from Pakistan soil.

The UN chief, who arrived in Pakistan on a four-day visit, addressed a press conference along with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, wherein he also expressed his "deep concern" over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and tensions along the Line of Control (LoC).

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Guterres also said that it was important for India and Pakistan to de-escalate the tensions and called for "maximum restraint", between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. He exchanged thoughts with Qureshi on the security situation in South Asia and said that mediation, as well as talks, were the only solution to regional conflicts.

After the Abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan has been trying with all its might on the international podium to gather support against the Indian government's move but failing miserably, though the abrogation has nothing to do with Pakistan as Kashmir remains India's internal matter. India has consistently maintained that the issue remains a bilateral dispute and no third party mediation is required in the matter.

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Moreover, India has repeatedly appealed to the international community to come together on the issue of terrorism and act against the terror-sponsoring nation. With India's consistent efforts, and Pakistan's failure to curb terror financing, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has put Pakistan on the grey list. However, it is reported that India's bid to move Pakistan from grey to blacklist will be a difficult one as Pakistan will be supported by China, Turkey and Malaysia.

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