US snubs Pakistan on Kashmir — again

NEW DELHI: Despite Pakistan's repeated efforts to involve the international community in the Kashmir issue, the US has once again reiterated its stand to not get involved in the matter.

"Want this (Kashmir issue) to be worked out between both sides, we want to see the tensions that exist right now be brought down and for dialogue to take its place – meaningful dialogue to try to address these issues bilaterally between the countries," US state department spokesperson John Kirby said.

Earlier this week, Elizabeth Trudeau of the US state department, had also voiced similar sentiments and said that the Kashmir is a bilateral issue to be resolved with the help of communication between the two countries.

Also, back in August, Trudeau plainly stated that it is for India and Pakistan alone to decide on the Kashmir issue and that Washington will in no way be involved in the conflict. "The pace, the scope, the character of any discussions in Kashmir is for the two sides to determine. We support any and all positive steps that India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations," she had said.

The US has repeated its stance on the Jammu and Kashmir issue time and again.

Shortly after the death of Burhan Wani,

Jaish-e-Muhammad

terrorist on July 8, the Valley witnessed violent protests and Pakistan fueled the fire by saying it supports the Kashmir protests. The protests claimed lives of more than 50 people and the Valley has been on the boil ever since.

The issue soured relations between India and Pakistan and the Nawaz Sharif government has been asking the international community to speak up against the "brutalities of the Indian Army in the state" at every international event that he has addressed of late.

After the Uri terror attack and Indian Army's surgical strikes along the LoC to eliminate terror launch pads in the PoK, the relationship between the two neighbours have been on a downward spiral.