No Chance Of Talks With India On Kashmir Until Curfew Lifted: Pakistan PM Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday confirmed that there will be no talks with India on the ongoing Kashmir issue, until curfew is lifted in the Valley. An unprecedented lockdown was imposed across the region in the intervening night of August 4 and August 5, hours before the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, stripping the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakah.

"There is no chance of talks with India on Kashmir until curfew is lifted," Pakistan media quoted Prime Minister Khan as saying.

Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan says, " there's no chance of talks with India on Kashmir until curfew is lifted": Pakistan media (file pic) pic.twitter.com/HV8aZIH0Jr

— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2019

The Indian government, however, has maintained that restrictions have been lifted in Jammu and Ladakh regions, which will be considered Union Territories from this October. While curbs have already been eased in the Valley, mobile and internet services are yet to be resumed.

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The historic move to revoke the special status to Jammu and Kashmir by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, which will have far-reaching impact on the political corridor of India, has heightened its already tensed relation with Pakistan.

Ever Since then, the Imran Khan dispensation has downgraded its diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian high commissioner to Pakistan following the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

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It has also ramped up its rhetoric against New Delhi and is endlessly trying to internationalise the strictly internal Indian matter of Jammu and Kashmir. However, so far, Islamabad's panic calls have failed to mark its way to the international community.

India has strongly criticised Pakistan for making "irresponsible statements" and provocative anti-India rhetoric over the Kashmir move, which is a completely internal to it.