Imran Khan holds meeting of Kashmir Core Group

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Kashmir Core Group to discuss efforts to highlight the issue on the international level.

"The main focus was on Pakistan's extensive political and diplomatic outreach and efforts to raise the international community's awareness about" Kashmir, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

It also "discussed the serious risks for peace and security posed by India's illegal and unilateral actions" of August 5, the statement said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories on August 5.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.

The meeting noted that the international community including the UN Security Council, international human rights organisations, international humanitarian organisations and the international media had taken cognizance of the situation in Kashmir, the statement said.

During the meeting, measures were agreed to further reinforce Pakistan's efforts in the political, diplomatic, legal and media domains to highlight the Kashmir issue worldwide, it added.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other senior officials.

Qureshi also held a telephonic conversations with foreign ministers of Nepal and Switzerland and apprised them about the situation in Kashmir.

He urged Nepal to play its role as the SAARC Chair for peace and stability in the region.