British foreign secretary calls for end of violence on Kashmir LoC

Visiting British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Thursday urged Pakistan and India to exercise restraint along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region amid escalation of tension that led to casualties on both sides in recent weeks.

Pakistan military said on Wednesday that Indian cross LoC firing killed at least seven bus passengers and three soldiers.

"Of course, we are concerned about the recent incidents on both sides of Line of Control in Kashmir and we call for end to violence," Johnson said at a joint press conference with Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad after their talks.

"We encourage both sides to maintain a positive dialogue," the British foreign secretary said when his attention was drawn towards the violence in the Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Johnson ruled out mediation between Pakistan and India and insisted it was not for his country to "prescribe a solution or mediate."

"The long standing position of the UK is India and Pakistan to find a lasting solution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account of the Kashmiri people," he said.

Johnson said his country was looking forward to enhanced strategic partnership with Pakistan, especially in areas of education, security, trade and culture, adding that it is important for the two countries to work together for security and stability of the entire region.

On his part, Aziz pointed out that the two countries have been cooperating under the framework of enhanced strategic dialogue since 2011. The two sides had already agreed to three new roadmaps on trade and investment, culture and education and security.

Sartaj Aziz said the two countries have also been discussing a multi-year development cooperation framework.

He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has extended an invitation to his British counterpart to visit Pakistan next year. Endit