US State Dept. spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said, “We are closely following the events in the state of Jammu and Kashmir”.
Morgan Ortagus. (Photo: IANS)
The US government said on Monday that it was “closely” observing the events in Jammu and Kashmir after the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution by the Indian government and urged all stakeholders to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Control (LoC).
The Narendra Modi government revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Rajya Sabha approved the resolution abrogating Article 370 for J&K and a bill to bifurcate the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying the controversial provisions were responsible for poverty and lack of development in the state.
US State Dept. spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said, “We are closely following the events in the state of Jammu and Kashmir”.
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Ortagus further said, “We take note of India’s announcement revising the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and India’s plan to split the state into two union territories.”
Without naming Pakistan, Ortagus told PTI that, “we call on all parties to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Control.”
Following the developments, the Pakistan government condemned the abrogation of Article 370 saying that it will “exercise all possible options to counter it”.
Earlier in the day, Ministry of External Affairs briefed the envoys of the P5 nations — the US, the UK, China, France and Russia about Indian government’s decision to scrap Article 370 and bifurcate the state into two union territories.
“India has described the actions in J&K as “strictly an internal matter”, Ortagus said.
However, Ortagus expressed concern about reported human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are concerned about reports of detentions (in J&K) and urge respect for individual rights and discussion with the affected communities,” she added.
(With PTI inputs)
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