WASHINGTON: The United States said on Thursday that it supports direct dialogue between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue and called for calm and restraint as Islamabad expelled New Delhi’s envoy.
“We continue to support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on Kashmir and other issues of concern,” the US State Department said in a statement.
Noting the broader implications of India’s Kashmir move, Washington further stated that it was closely “following India’s legislation regarding the new territorial status and governance of Jammu and Kashmir”.
“We continue to be concerned by reports of detentions and the continued restrictions on the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. We urge respect for individual rights, compliance with legal procedures, and inclusive dialogue with those affected,” added the statement.
India imposed an unprecedented lockdown in the occupied valley in the runup to its unilateral and illegal move and deployed thousands of extra security personnel, bolstering the hundreds of thousands already deployed in IoK.
