New York: (Web Desk) Pakistan and the United States (US) have reaffirmed their resolve to build a broad-based and mutually-beneficial partnership.
The understanding came at a meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Prime Minister Imran Khan appreciated President Trump's continued offers of assistance in mediating the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
Describing India's draconian lockdown in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir as a dire humanitarian crisis with implications for regional security, the PM highlighted the importance of immediate lifting of the curfew and other restrictions and resolving the Kashmir dispute for durable peace and stability in South Asia.
Addressing the US president and the reporters, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Trump heads the most powerful country in the world, adding that “the most powerful country in the world has a responsibility”.
“I honestly feel that this crisis could become much bigger. We look to the US to put out flames in the world,” the PM said.
On Kashmir and his prior offers of mediation, Trump said: “I think I would be an extremely good arbitrator. I’ve done it before, believe it or not. And I’ve never failed as an arbitrator”.
The two leaders also reviewed the evolving regional peace and security scenario. They reiterated their shared interest in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
President Trump’s meeting with Pakistan’s premier was held a day after attending a rally in Houston that was organised by Indian PM Narendra Modi, a Hindu nationalist whose government last month revoked the Muslim-majority Himalayan region's autonomy and cut off most ordinary people's cellular and internet service.
Regarding Modi's rally, the American president said: "I heard a very aggressive statement yesterday, I was there, I didn't know I was gonna hear that statement, but I was sitting there, I heard a very aggressive statement, yes from India, from the PM.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is in New York where he will address the UN General Assembly on September 27.
On Monday, PM Imran also met British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, the Foreign Office said in a statement issued in Islamabad.
The premier also held a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ahead of his planned meeting with China’s Vice President Wang Qishan.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended an event at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) think tank in New York.
Addressing the event, he that Pakistan and India, the two nuclear-armed countries, facing each other, the United Nations and international community should play their role in the resolution of Kashmir dispute, which posed a serious threat to peace in the region and beyond.