Washington — US President Donald Trump on Monday offered himself as a mediator to resolve the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan. He said that Indian PM Narendra Modi requested him to be a mediator.
During the meeting between Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan and US president at the Oval office, Mr. Trump said that Indian PM Modi met him two weeks ago and he literally said, “Would you like to be a mediator, or an arbitrator?” And Trump asked, “Where?” Modi responded, “Kashmir”.
Mr Trump told reporters that “If I can help, I would love to be a mediator”.
The issue of disputed Kashmir has been a bone contention between India and Pakistan with both claiming to own it entirely, however, separatist movements in Kashmir demands a separate country which is neither under India nor under Pakistan. Hence, the territory has remained militarized.
However, there has been no official response from Indian authorities so far. Some commentators suggested that Modi requested to help stop cross-border militancy, while Trump clearly said that he was requested to be an arbitrator.
In response to the Trump’s offer, Khan said that “prayers of over a billion people will be with you if you can mediate and resolve the situation.”
The Indian politician Omar Abdullah, grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, who happens to be the first political leader and former chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir said on Twitter: “Personally I think @realDonaldTrump is talking out of his hat when he says @PMOIndia asked for US involvement in solving the Kashmir issue.”
Personally I think @realDonaldTrump is talking out of his hat when he says @PMOIndia asked for US involvement in solving the Kashmir issue but I’d like to see @MEAIndia call Trump out on his claim. https://t.co/JRlH4mehrp
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 22, 2019
India and Pakistan has long struggled over the entirety of Kashmir which even lead to a full-blown war famously known as Kargil War in 1999, and in February tensions between India and Pakistan escalated due to Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 Indian paramilitary forces.
Trump’s arbitration can help resolve the dispute amicably.
