UAE’s senior diplomat confirms mediating between India and Pakistan

According to Al-Jazeera, top intelligence officers from both South Asian countries held secret talks in Dubai in January to bring down military tensions over the issue of Kashmir.

While having a virtual discussion with Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, the UAE envoy said that his country has played a role in bringing the escalations down and creating a ceasefire.

“They might not sort of become best friends but at least we want to get it to a level where it’s functional, where it’s operational, where they are speaking to each other,” he said.

The relations between Pakistan and India have been strained since August 05, 2019 when New Delhi abrogated Article 370 and stripped Kashmir of its autonomous status. Following that, Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic ties with India and suspense of bilateral trade.

After a long period of hostility in February 2021, a special hotline contact was established between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan and India in a bid to defuse the volatile situation along the Working Boundary (WB) and the Line of Control (LoC).

According to the statement by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the DGMOs mutually agreed to undertake sincere measures to improve the existing situation ensuring peace and avoidance of hardships to the civilians along the borders.

ISPR said that the two sides reviewed the situation along Line of Control (LOC) and all other sectors in a free, frank and cordial atmosphere.

In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace, the two DGsMO agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence, ISPR stated.

Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the LOC and all other sectors, with effect from midnight 24/25 February 21.

The both sides reiterated that existing, mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be utilized to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding, ISPR statement continued.

Pakistan DGMO expressed commitment to peace but indicated that if such aggressive actions continue, same will be effectively responded which will have detrimental effects on peace and tranquility along the LOC.