Islamabad's rhetoric on Kashmir downplayed after France urges India-Pak to engage in bilateral dialogue

Islamabad [Pakistan], Aug 21 (ANI): Ramping up rhetoric against India, Pakistan is endlessly trying to involve the international community in the wake of New Delhi's historic decision to change the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir. This move comes despite the latter's, time and again, reiteration that the matter is strictly "internal" to the country.
In this context, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday continued his diplomatic plethora against India over the Kashmir issue and held a telephonic talk with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, urging France as a UN Security Council permanent member to play its role to ensure peace in the region.
But Islamabad's victim card was once again played down after the French Foreign Minister urged both sides to engage in "bilateral dialogue".
Le Drian emphasised the need to ensure that there was no further escalation and underscored that they would have the same message for India, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.
Earlier, Qureshi briefed his French counterpart about the "illegal and unilateral" actions of India to alter the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir "in contravention of the international law and UNSC resolutions".
He underlined that the steps taken by India in Kashmir "entailed a grave risk for peace and security in the region.
Qureshi expressed the hope that France, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, would play its due role to ensure peace and stability in the region, the statement read.
Rattled by India's move, Pakistan, last week, sent Qureshi to China to seek its help at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), urging it to call an emergency meeting on the issue. However, four out of five permanent members in the United Nations did not support Pakistan contentions over India's decision.
The cash-strapped nation has also alleged that India's decision of revoking the provisions under Article 370 will not only threaten the regional peace but also the world peace and further downgraded its diplomatic ties with its neighbour and suspended bilateral trade in the wake of it.
However, at the end of the UNSC meeting, last week, China and Pakistan stood isolated as members after others refused to endorse their position.
Four out of five permanent members in the United Nations did not support the Pakistan contentions over India's decision. A recent example is Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan failing to get the support of the United States despite his highly publicised visit last month to Washington where he supposedly struck a friendship with President Trump. During a phone conversation last week with Khan, Trump made it clear that Kashmir issue should be resolved through a bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan. (ANI)