No scope for 'involvement of third party' on Kashmir issue: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday strongly stated that India and Pakistan are the only stakeholders with respect to the Kashmir issue, adding that New Delhi would not tolerate the involvement of a 'third party'.

"There never was, nor ever will be any scope for involvement of any third party with regards to the Kashmir issue," MEA official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told the media.

"We are committed to resolving all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, bilaterally with Pakistan through a peaceful dialogue," he added.

The MEA's response came in light of speculations of senior Hurriyat leaders of Jammu and Kashmir attending the Pakistan Day celebrations in the Islamic Republic's High Commission in New Delhi.

Earlier this week, sources stated that the Hurriyat leaders would be present in the national capital for the Pakistan Day celebrations, with Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq among others expected to be present at the event to be held on March 23.

This follows the meeting held between Geelani and Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit in New Delhi earlier on March 9.

Basit and Geelani had reportedly discussed political developments in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Pakistani envoy also appraising the separatist leader of Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad.

Pakistan Day commemorates the Lahore Resolution of 1940 and the adoption of the first constitution of the country during its transition into an Islamic Republic on March 23, 1956.