It’s PoJK that remains unfinished agenda; not Kashmir: Why Trump’s offer gets cold response from India

US President Donald Trump’s offer to “work” with India and Pakistan to see if a “solution” can be arrived at concerning Kashmir, is being met with a cold response in diplomatic and security circles as it goes against the tenets of India’s stance that the “bilateral” issue of reclaiming Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is the matter on the table and “not Kashmir”. 

This is not the first time that a US offer of mediation between India and Pakistan in the context of resolving “the Kashmir issue" is getting a cold response from New Delhi. 

After the terror attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001, the US senate attempted to play the role of peacemaker by talking to officials in New Delhi and Islamabad. The back and forth was something that was neither requested nor encouraged by the Indian diplomatic channels who made it clear that India was standing independently as far as its bilateral issues were concerned and the only expectation was that pressure be put on Pakistan in the fight against terror. 

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At the time, Washington‘s focus on Afghanistan and possible engagement with Pakistan to take out remnants of Al Qaeda and Taliban had divided attention away from the support India was looking for in its fight against terror, security sources said. 

Once again, any leaning to Pakistan is being watched closely, security sources said.

Meanwhile, the counter-terror engagement with Washington remains a high priority for New Delhi even as its unflinching position on PoJK (Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir) is being reiterated, to put the present conflict in the context of continuing Pakistan’s continued support for terror activities.

“The only unresolved issue is the handing over of PoJK by Pakistan,” said an official. Kashmir was never on the table. “Especially, after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir facilitating the complete integration, the only unfinished task remains liberating PoJK,” top government  sources said, adding, “and dismantling the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK.”  

India