US-India-Afghan dialogue for Afghan peace unnecessary, feels Pak

Pakistan has said the United States backed trilateral dialogue with India and Afghanistan is not necessary.

Responding to a question about the trilateral set up formed by the United States, India and Afghanistan, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said yesterday in a news briefing, "We are not sure what the need of this platform is. As for peace in Afghanistan, Pakistan remains committed to an Afgahn owed and Afghan led peace process such as the QCG (Quadrilateral Coordination Group)."

During the session, he also disclosed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has written another letter to the UN chief apprising him of the alleged human rights violations on the Indian side of Kashmir and also urged him to send a fact finding mission there to investigate the same, reports Radio Pakistan.

In his letter, Sharif also mentioned that he remains open to any UN mission for a visit as it has always facilitated the UNMOGIP, foreign diplomats and tourists in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Responding to questions on the Kashmir dispute, Zakaria said Pakistan will continue its efforts to raise the Kashmir dispute at the international level.

It will figure prominently at the upcoming annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the OIC meetings on the sidelines of the UN session, he said.

He added that Pakistan too wants peaceful resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute through the dialogue process for which the country is always ready but without any preconditions.

India has, however, dismissed Islamabad's attempts to drag the international community into the Kashmir issue.