Farooq Abdullah happy over PM Modi's request to Trump to mediate on Kashmir issue

Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on asking US President Donald Trump to mediate with Pakistan on Kashmir issue.

Abdullah said: "It is a matter of happiness that PM Modi talked to Trump. He had told him that Kashmir issue is complex and help on the matter would be good."

"I don't know which minister has rejected that claim, but I would like to praise the PM on this," he told reporters here.

However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday clarified that Modi has not made any request to US President Trump to mediate and India's consistent position has been to discuss outstanding issues bilaterally.

"Many ministers since the past 70 years have made efforts to solve the issue. However, no one was successful. There comes a time when the third country has to come in," Abdullah said.

He also claimed that the solution to this issue will not only benefit the two countries but will help the whole world as both India and Pakistan are atomic powers.

"Hatred between the communities of Hindu and Muslim arises due to this issue. This poses a grave threat to the whole country," the former CM said.