ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India are expected to engage in high-level talks in Saudi Arabia with mediation from the United States and Saudi Arabia, diplomatic sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday.
The talks are expected to centre on the disputed Kashmir issue and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), both key flashpoints between the nuclear-armed rivals.
The initiative follows renewed diplomatic efforts by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently brokered a preliminary agreement to resume talks after the recent conflict between the two countries.
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Sources said Washington and Riyadh will lead the mediation. India has already stated that it will focus only on terrorism and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and will not discuss Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan, however, is pushing for talks on the broader Kashmir issue and the IWT.
“We are optimistic that there will be some breakthrough on both the Kashmir issue and the IWT controversy which India has kept in abeyance in wake of Pahalgam attack,” a senior Pakistani official told Business Recorder, citing increased momentum for scheduling talks due to US and Saudi involvement.
In wake of recent tensions, Washington offered to mediate the Kashmir issue – a long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan – and urged both New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve it through talks to prevent further escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
In a move to increase pressure, the US also warned both countries that failure to engage meaningfully could result in suspension of trade relations.
When contacted, both the US Embassy in Islamabad and the Foreign Office remained tight-lipped.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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