AFP
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has urged US President Barack Obama to raise the Kashmir issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his forthcoming visit to New Delhi in January, a statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minster’s Office said.
Sharif made the request when President Obama telephoned him on Friday evening to discuss the “evolving situation” in the region, it said.
“The prime minister urged President Obama to take up the cause of Kashmir with the Indian leadership, as its early resolution would bring enduring peace, stability and economic co-operation to Asia,” the Prime Minister’s Office statement said on the discussions between the two leaders.
It said that President Obama informed Sharif of his forthcoming visit to India in January to attend India’s Republic Day parade as the chief guest.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed satisfaction at the direction of Pakistan-US relations which were on an upward trajectory” and “President Obama noted Pakistan-US relations were strong and robust” during their conversation, the Pakistan foreign ministry said in a statement.
During the call, Sharif recalled an invitation he extended to Obama last year in Washington and conveyed the expectation of the people of Pakistan to welcome the US president to the country some time in the future.
“The president also assured the prime minister that he would undertake a visit to Pakistan at an early date, as soon as the situation normalises in the country,” the prime minister’s office statement said.
Sharif referred to his visit to India earlier this year, which was aimed at taking Pakistan-India relations forward.
However, “Subsequent unfortunate steps on India’s part, including cancellation of foreign secretary level talks and the unprovoked firing across the Line of Control/Working Boundary (in Kashmir) resulting in civilian casualties, indicated that India was averse to normalisation of relations with Pakistan”, the statement quoted Sharif as saying.
He said: “While we remain open to the resumption of bilateral dialogue, the onus is on India to create a conducive environment in this regard.”
Recent exchanges of fire across the de facto border between India and Pakistan in Kashmir, which both countries administer in part but claim in full, have killed at least 20 civilians and forced thousands to flee their homes.
The neighbours have traded blame for the upsurge in firing and shelling which started on October 6.
India called off peace talks in August after Pakistan first consulted Kashmiri separatists, a move some saw as a sign of a tougher stance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new right-wing government.
“The two leaders agreed to stay engaged to further strengthen Pakistan-US relations in their common desire to promote peace and prosperity in South Asia,” the ministry statement said.
The two leaders also discussed the regional situation. The prime minister referred to the improvement of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations as manifest in President Ashraf Ghani’s recent visit to Islamabad.
