The United States has urged India to lift its Internet blockade on occupied Kashmir and to respect freedom of expression in the occupied territories.
This statement was made by Zed Tarar, a spokesman for the US State Department in Urdu, during an exclusive interview with Geo-News.
“Pakistan and India need to work to ease tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and engage in positive dialogue on the Kashmir issue,” he said.
Describing India and Pakistan as US partners, Tarar said the two countries must agree to formulate a strategy to reduce tensions with each other through dialogue.
Zed Tarar spoke of human rights and digital blockade in Kashmir and called on the Indian government to lift the Internet blockade in the region and to respect and protect the “freedom of expression” in the valley.
Speaking about the Dogo Accord on the Afghanistan Peace Process, a State Department spokesman said Washington was not reviewing the deal with a view to amending it. He said the new US administration was reviewing whether the Taliban were complying with the requirements of the Afghan peace process.
“The war in Afghanistan is almost 20 years old and the United States does not want war,” said Zed Tarar, adding that the United States wanted peace in the region.
Tarar hopes those behind the murder of the murdered American journalist Daniel Pearl will be held to account by the government, adding that the courts must also be watched.
Speaking about the Middle East and the nuclear deal with Iran, Zed Tarar said the new US administration definitely intends to join the “nuclear deal with Iran” but will consult its Middle East counterparts.
“Obviously, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China and the European Union (EU) are being consulted about a nuclear deal with Iran,” Zed Tarar said before returning to the deal.
He said the Biden administration was exploring ways to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with major world powers, including the United States. However, the deal was scrapped in 2018 by former President Donald Trump, who reimposed sanctions on Iran.
“At present, Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal,” said Zed Tarar, adding that the nuclear deal and related terms will be reviewed before the deal is renewed.
