Islamabad: After unsuccessful attempts to draw the United States and the European Union to play active roles in resolving the Kashmir issue, Pakistan reportedly wants China to play the role of a “silent” third party mediator.
As China and India move towards stronger bilateral ties and cooperation, Pakistan is keen to take advantage of the prevailing conducive atmosphere to find a durable settlement to the Kashmir issue, a Pakistani official said.
"India knows that China is the future great power with which it has to be on good terms. As Pakistan attaches great importance to relations with Beijing, it sees the role of its old friend in the settlement of Kashmir conflict," the unnamed official was quoted as saying by the Nation newspaper.
He said it was obvious that any overt role by the Chinese for the resolution of Kashmir issue will be acceptable to neither India nor China, but "silent mediation" by Beijing could not be ruled out.
With this in mind, Pakistani authorities have been talking to Chinese officials through "diplomatic channels" and in case of any positive development, India would be consulted on the issue, he said.
The US, whom Islamabad has often approached to play an active role in resolving the Kashmir issue, used to be in close contact with New Delhi, but its interest seems to be "decreasing with the passage of time and presently, it is not that active as it was a couple of years ago on the front of Indo-Pak peace process," the official said.
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