India rejects third-party mediation on Kashmir, says PoK must be vacated

Kashmir: India on Tuesday firmly rejected any third-party intervention on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the matter is strictly bilateral and will be resolved only between India and Pakistan.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Pakistan will have to vacate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and the matter will be taken up accordingly. He reiterated that no external involvement, including mediation, is acceptable to India.

The statement came in response to US President Donald Trump’s claim about a ceasefire and mediation efforts between India and Pakistan.

India dismissed the claim, clarifying that while talks were held with the US during periods of heightened tension with Pakistan, the Kashmir issue and trade were not part of those discussions.