New Delhi, August 16: Foreseeing its failure before the United Nations Security Council makes its decision over the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday spoke to US President Donald Trump over phone for 12 minutes. Dialling up Trump was an attempt by Khan to seek support as he was discussing situation in Kashmir after the Centre decided to end the special status given to the state under Article 370.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was quoted as saying by Pakistani news organisations that the Prime Minister conveyed to the US president the situation and danger which can arise in Kashmir.
The telephonic conversation comes minutes ahead of the United Nations Security Council's scheduled meeting on Kashmir issue. Friday's discussion will not be considered a full security meeting but rather referred to as closed door consultations, which are becoming increasingly more common, diplomats said.
Pakistan formally called for an emergency meeting of the UNSC to discuss India revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Qureshi said on Thursday. “The world needs to realise that it is the issue of humanity and not a piece of land between the two countries,” quoted Qureshi as saying.
Qureshi sent a formal letter to UNSC president Joanna Wronecka through the country's Permanent Representative Maleha Lodhi to convene the meeting. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged India and Pakistan to exercise "maximum restraint" and refrain from taking steps that could affect the status of Jammu and Kashmir. He had highlighted the Simla Agreement which rejects any third-party mediation on the issue.