Amid Opposition Din, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti ‘Welcome’ Trump's Claim On Kashmir Mediation

PDP and the National Conference had a welcoming response to US President Donald Trump's claim that India has sought US' mediation to resolve the protracted Kashmir issue.

New Delhi: While the Opposition attacked the Government over US President Donald Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Modi had requested him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute, and sought an immediate clarification for it, National Conference chairman Farooq Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had a welcoming response to the statement. “It is a matter of happiness that when PM Modi talked to Trump he had told him that Kashmir issue is complex and if there can be some help it would be good,” Abdullah was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. “I congratulate Modi ji, he too wants to use everything to solve this issue that is creating tensions between India and Pakistan,” he added. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said US President Donald Trump's "disclosure" on third party mediation on Kashmir is a "huge policy shift" and India and Pakistan must seize the opportunity to forge peace through dialogue. "Despite GOI refuting idea of third party mediation on J&K, the disclosure made by Trump marks a huge policy shift. Even though USA doesn't hold a great record in resolving protracted conflicts, hope both countries seize this opportunity to forge peace through dialogue," Mehbooba, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said in a tweet.

Despite GOI refuting idea of third party mediation on J&K, the disclosure made by Trump marks a huge policy shift. Even though USA doesn’t hold a great record in resolving protracted conflicts, hope both countries seize this opportunity to forge peace through dialogue.

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 23, 2019

Trump claimed during his meeting with Pakistan Premier Imran Khan that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute.   The Ministry of External Affairs rejected Trump's remarks, saying it has been India's consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.