Kashmir move India's internal affair, time for Pakistan to accept reality: MEA

Pakistan should accept the reality and stop interferring in India's internal affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday as Islamabad continued its efforts to pressurise New Delhi to reconsider its decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories.

"It is time for Pakistan to accept the reality and stop interfering in internal affairs of other countries," said MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar while addressing a press conference in New Delhi.

Pakistan, which illegaly occupied a part of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 when the state's ruler decided to join India after Independence, had condemned and rejected the Indian government's decision and vowed to exercise "all possible options" to counter India's "illegal" and "unilateral" step.

Pakistan on Wednesdya had downgraded the diplomatic relations with India and suspended bilateral trade in a meeting of the country's National Security Committee, which comprises top political and military leadership, including Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.

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On Thursday, the neighbouring country had shut down the bi-weekly Samjhauta Express train service between Lahore and New Delhi in a pushback against India's big Kashmir move.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson also said that India has reached out to several countries, including the United States, and explained its position on Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have reached to several countries and explained our position. Senior officials of Government of India reached out to ambassadors and envoys and contacts have been made at MEA level as well. We did reach out to all countries including the United States," Kumar said.