Qureshi speaks to French counterpart on Kashmir

Continuing with its diplomatic overdrive against India over the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday held a telephonic talk with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian and urged France as a UN Security Council permanent member to play its role to ensure peace in the region.

Le Drian said that France was extremely concerned at the situation and urged both sides to engage in a 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, a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

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 and urged France to impress upon India to lift the curfew and ameliorate the hardships and sufferings of the people in IoK, the statement said.

The two leaders agreed to remain in contact and continue to work together for peace and stability in the region.