Our position is consistent; no role for any third party mediation in Kashmir: India

Indian on Thursday asserted its position on third party involvement in Kashmir matter after the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said that "there is no role for any third party in this matter".

Addressing a weekly press briefing, Raveesh Kumar said, "Our position on the Kashmir issue and third-party mediation has been very clear and consistent, Let me reiterate that there is no role for any third party in this matter." 

The MEA spokesperson further said that any bilateral issues between India and Pakistan should be discussed between both countries under the provisions of Shimla agreement and the Lahore declaration.

"But the onus is on Pakistan to create such conducive conditions - free from terror, hostility and violence," the foreign ministry spokesman asserted.

Kumar further said, "India doesn't need Pakistan's advice on India's internal matters".

"Pakistan's attempt to create alarmist situation in Kashmir has failed; global community understands its double standards," Kumar added.

On Tuesday, Pakistan PM Imran Khan during a meeting with US President Donald Trump had once again raised the Kashmir matter after which the US offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to help resolve the matter. 

"We are talking about Kashmir and its relation to, what's going on between India and Pakistan that we can help, we certainly would be helping, and we have been watching that and have been following it very very closely," Trump had said.

This is not the first time the Pakistan prime minister has raised the Kashmir issue at an international forum.

Earlier this month, Pakistan along with its all-weather ally, China, raised the Kashmir issue for a third time at the United Nations security council. But, the UN maintained its stance that the issue should be solved bilaterally by India and Pakistan.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been tensed since last year after a  Pakistan-based terrorist group attacked an Indian Army convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Around 40 soldiers were killed in the incident.

The relations between the two countries spiralled after the Indian Parliament passed a resolution to revoke Article 370 and a bill bifurcating Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

Rattled by New Delhi's decisions, Islamabad "rejected" the move and said it will exercise "all possible options" to counter the steps.