A regional conflict could erupt over Kashmir, said Pakistan Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday and urged for international intervention to stabilise the situation. Mr. Khan’s warning came as India continued to boost military might in the State and ordered tourists and pilgrims from the rest of the country to leave.
“President Trump offered to mediate on Kashmir. This is the time to do so as situation deteriorates there and along the LOC with new aggressive actions being taken by Indian occupation forces. This has the potential to blow up into a regional crisis,” he said on social media.
Mr. Khan claimed that the Indian forces had used cluster bombs on civilian population across the LoC. He called upon the international community and the U.N. to take note of the situation in Kashmir. A day earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had accused India of using cluster munitions on civilian population across the LoC.
Mr. Khan visited the U.S. last week and met President Donald Trump on July 22 when the U.S. leader said he was willing to mediate to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. In response, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on August 2 in Bangkok that Kashmir was a bilateral issue to be dealt between India and Pakistan.
On Sunday, in his social media messages on Kashmir, Mr. Khan said it was time to resolve the Kashmir issue through a “peaceful and just settlement”. His comments came even as reports poured in that the administration of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir had asked the civilian population to get armed.