Imran Khan raises Kashmir issue during meeting with US Senators

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the international community should raise its voice for the rights of the Kashmiri people. He made the remarks during a meeting with US Senators Chris Van Hollen and Margaret C Hassan, who called on the prime minister in Islamabad.

"It was critical for the international community to raise its voice for the respect of the rights and freedoms of the people" of Jammu and Kashmir, Khan said as he appreciated the continued active interest of the US Congress, including of the two Senators, in the volatile situation in the region. Khan told the Senators that talks with India were out of the question in the ongoing situation in Kashmir, Geo TV reported.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories. Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian high commissioner following the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.

Khan also noted that both Pakistan and the US had a shared interest in advancing peace and stability in Afghanistan. Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to a political solution in Afghanistan, Khan underlined the importance of resumption of the US-Taliban peace talks.

Separately, the Senators also called on army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and discussed various matters.