Pakistan would welcome a visit of Russian officials amid growing tensions around Kashmir, but there are none are planned at this stage, Pakistan's Ambassador to Russia Qazi Khalilullah told Sputnik in an interview.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th August, 2019) Pakistan would welcome a visit of Russian officials amid growing tensions around Kashmir, but there are none are planned at this stage, Pakistan's Ambassador to Russia Qazi Khalilullah told Sputnik in an interview.
Earlier this week, the Indian government announced its decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and split it into two union territories, prompting an outraged reaction from Islamabad. Pakistan has downgraded its diplomatic relations and suspended trade with its neighbor.
"If anyone from Russia wishes to visit [Pakistan], we will be very happy to welcome them, but as far as I am concerned, I have no indication so far," Khalilullah said.
According to the diplomat, Islamabad has already briefed Russian diplomats on Pakistan's position on the situation around Kashmir.
"I have had a meeting at the [Russian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also the Russian ambassador in Islamabad was briefed by our foreign secretary. So the Russian side is aware of the situation and our position on this," Khalilullah said.
On Wednesday, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood received a US delegation that included US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells with talks addressing India's decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir state among other issues, according to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.
India and Pakistan have contended for the Kashmir region, the southern part of which lies in India's Jammu and Kashmir state, since the end of British rule in 1947. Despite a ceasefire being reached in 2003 following several armed conflicts, instability has continued, leading to the emergence of various extremist groups. Tensions spiked earlier this year when the Indian military conducted airstrikes in the region in response to an attack orchestrated by a terrorist group based on the Pakistani side of Kashmir.
