PM Imran, UK counterpart Boris Johnson discuss 'serious situation in Kashmir'

Published August 7, 2019
Prime Minister Imran Khan, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. — Reuters/Imran Khan Facebook
Prime Minister Imran Khan, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. — Reuters/Imran Khan Facebook

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday made a telephone call to his UK counterpart, Boris Johnson, during which a discussion on the "serious situation in Kashmir" was held, Johnson's Downing Street office said in a statement.

Both leaders agreed on the "importance of maintaining dialogue", the statement added.

The prime minister congratulated PM Johnson on assuming office as the UK prime minister. Both leaders underscored their "continued commitment to the bilateral relationship between the UK and Pakistan".

In a parallel development, Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he had expressed concern to his Indian counterpart about the situation in the disputed Kashmir region.

“I have to spoken to the Indian Foreign Minister,” Raab said on Wednesday.

“We've expressed some of our concerns around the situation and called for calm, but also had a clear readout of the situation from the perspective of the Indian government.”

Examine: India's legislative actions in Jammu and Kashmir — legal or illegal?

After India decided to revoke Kashmir's special status by repealing Article 370 and 35-A of its constitution through a presidential order, Pakistan said it would downgrade diplomatic relations and suspend bilateral trade with India.

With the revocation of Article 370 of the constitution, Indian residents will now be able to acquire property in Kashmir and settle there permanently.

Kashmiris, as well as critics of India’s Hindu nationalist-led government, see the move as an attempt to bring a demographic change to Kashmir, diluting its Muslim-majority population with Hindu settlers.

Furthermore, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who is also president of the BJP, moved a bill — passed by the Indian parliament — to bifurcate the state into two union territories to be directly ruled by New Delhi.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...