External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Bagley told reporters he was aware of the remarks made by Guteress that he has raised the issue during his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

“I have seen the reply which has been reported in the media. Essentially the secretary general asked a question in response to a question… Bilateral issues have to be decided bilaterally and the UN secretary general has been made aware of that position,” Bagley said.

Addressing reporters at his first press conference at the world body’s headquarters since assuming office in January, Guterres recently said that he is engaged in bringing about a dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.

“Why do you think I met three times the Prime Minister of Pakistan and two times the Prime Minister of India,” Guterres said with a laughter, responding to a question on whether he is involved in the matter.

“Sohail Mahmood, who currently serves as Ambassador to Turkey, will replace Basit,” a Foreign Office source confirmed. The source said the Indian High Commission in Islamabad has issued visa to Mahmood. Basit was appointed as Pakistan’s envoy to India in 2014.  Mahmood has also served as the envoy to Thailand earlier.

“Any positive role that the US plays in bringing peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well,” Pakistan’s envoy to the US, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, said on Tuesday.

The development came after US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, on Monday made the offer to mediate in facilitating talks between the two neighbours.

“It’s absolutely right that this administration is concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and very much wants to see how we de-escalate any sort of conflict going forward,” Indian-origin Haley said while addressing a news conference in New York.

Haley also hinted that the Trump administration would participate in the talks aimed at resolving differences between the two neighbours.

“I would expect that the [Trump] administration is going to be in talks and try and find its place to be a part of that because it’s concerned about the situation,” she said.

Chaudhry told Dawn here that Pakistan was interested in such efforts because it “wants good neighbourly relations with India”.

India has ruled out third party mediation in resolving disputes with Pakistan.

Indian External Affairs spokesman Gopal Baglay on Tuesday said: “The government’s position for bilateral redressal of all India-Pakistan issues in an environment free of terror and violence hasn’t changed.”

He also asked the international community to persuade Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorist attacks in India.

“We, of course, expect the international community and organisations to enforce international mechanisms and mandates concerning terrorism emanating from Pakistan, which continues to be the single biggest threat to peace and stability in our region and beyond,” he said.

A US State Department spokesperson also explained Washington’s position on facilitating talks between the two countries, the Dawn reported.

“We believe India and Pakistan stand to benefit from cooperation. We encourage India and Pakistan to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions,” the spokesperson said.

According to Dawn, the US official also explained that Washington wanted to promote good relations between India and Pakistan as the “normalisation of relations is vital to both countries and the region”.

“Steps that initiate closer regional economic ties can also create jobs, lower inflation and increase energy supply,” the official said.

He also maintained the US policy that differences between New Delhi and Islamabad be resolved bilaterally and the US could only encourage them to talk.

Tensions have been rising between the two nations as India accuses Pakistan of facilitating cross-border terrorism and unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Pakistan has denied the claims, saying Islamabad only provides moral support to the Kashmir people and accused New Delhi of “interfering” in Pakistan’s internal matters.

Pakistan has also welcomed international mediation and regularly raised the Kashmir issue at different UN fora.
Agencies

Lodhi looks forward to a high-level forum to be hosted by China to boost international cooperation in carrying out the landmark initiative by the world’s second-largest economy, she told Xinhua news agency.

The Belt and Road Initiative “is win-win for the whole region”, said Lodhi.

She said it is certainly “a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor”, which is part of the initiative.

China plans to host a Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in Beijing this May to brainstorm on interconnected development.

The Belt and Road Initiative, comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.

It aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa.

“We would like to play a leading role in ensuring regional connectivity, which brings not just people together, but hearts together, because regional connectivity aims to ensure that all people prosper from economic cooperation and trade relations,” she said.

Lodhi also stressed that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a good example of the international efforts to carry out the Belt and Road Initiative. India has taken objection to eh CPEC, as portions of it pass through the Pakistan Administerdd Kashmir.

The corridor is a 3,000 km network of roads, railways and pipelines linking Kashgar in Xinjiang region and Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
Agencies