In the face of rising tensions between between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday urged the United States to mediate the “bilateral issues” between the two South Asian neighbours.
The Pakistani leader made that call during a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the 71st UN General Assembly session in New York.
“I expect the US Administration and Secretary Kerry to use his good offices to help in resolving bilateral issues between Pakistan and India,” the prime minister said, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations.
Shrarif told the to American diplomat that more than 107 people have been assasinated in Indian Occupied Kashmir, thousands injured and worst human rights violations are being committed at the state level.
“I still remember (former) President (Bill) Clinton’s promise that US will play its role to help out in resolving bilateral disputes and issues between Pakistan and India,” the prime minister said.
Pakistan, Sharif underscored, has always fought terrorism as a moral obligation.
“I have always reached out to neighboring countries for regional peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.
During the meeting, the prime minister was assisted by Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, among others.
Sharif also recalled his constructive meetings with the US President during the last three years, and emphasized that strong relations between Pakistan and the United States remain a mutual desire and this partnership was critical to ensure regional peace and stability.
Regarding Islamabad’s counterterrorism efforts, Sharif particularly noted that Operation Zarb e Azb that has broken the back bone of terrorists.
He noted terrorists’ infrastructure had been dismantled and they were on the run due to the indiscriminate action against all terrorist elements and implementation of National Action Plan across the country is going on. “The national resolve against terrorism and extremism is unflinching,” he said.
Discussing the situation in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Sharif expressed satisfaction over a lot of hard work that has been done under the QCG process, of which both Pakistan and the US are members. At the same time he stressed the need for meaningful engagement with Afghanistan.
According to the statement, Secretary Kerry appreciated the efforts of the armed forces of Pakistan, security institutions and police toward rooting out terrorism and extremism.
Secretary Kerry said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have mutual interests in peace and security.
Sharif is due to speak at the UN General Assembly’s high-level debate on September 21. The meeting comes amidst a fresh war of words between Pakistan and India after an attack by militants killed 18 Indian soldiers at an army camp Uri in Kashmir.
Earlier, Sharif called on the permanent members of the UN Security Council demanding that India should be asked to stop its brutalities in Kashmir. He has said he will highlight the Kashmir issue in his address at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
