US asks India to provide ‘roadmap’ to political and economic normalcy in J-K

Washington DC (USA) | Jagran News Desk: The US has asked India to provide a ‘roadmap’ to political and economic normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and immediate release of all political detainees as it asked Pakistan to take ‘sustained and irreversible’ steps against militants and terrorists in its territory.

"We continue to press for the release of detainees for the full restoration of everyday services, but most importantly, for roadmap to the restoration of political and economic normalcy," said Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells adding that the US is ‘deeply concerned’ about the situation in the Valley.

"We've seen progress, for example, four million postpaid mobile phone users have had service restored, but SMS and internet are restricted," she said. 

Wells also spoke about the role of some of the international reporters who have extensively covered developments in Kashmir.  

Wells said terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen "obviously are the problem".

"In this vein, we welcome (Pakistan) Prime Minister (Imran) Khan's unambiguous statement in September that anyone who crosses from Pakistan to carry out violence in Kashmir are enemies of both Pakistan and the Kashmiri people," she said

"The constructive dialogue that we'd like to see between India and Pakistan must be based on Pakistan taking sustained and irreversible steps against militants and terrorists in its territory," Wells said.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump met and spoke with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts and asked them to solve the issues with talks. 

The internet service, along with mobile and landline telephone services, was snapped by the government after it revoked Article from Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories. Several restrictions were also imposed by the government.

India has defended its decision abrogating provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and the subsequent restrictions in the state with Governor Satya Pal Malik saying the restrictions on communication services in the Valley has helped save lives. He also denied there was any shortage of medicines and essential supplies in the region.

(With PTI inputs)