Trump’s disclosure on third party mediation in Kashmir dispute marks a ‘huge policy shift’: Mufti

New Delhi, July 23: Peoples Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti says that Trump's disclosure about India seeking third party intervention in the Kashmir conflict marks a "huge policy shift".

Taking to twitter, she wrote: Despite GOI refuting idea of third party mediation on Jammu and Kashmir, the disclosure made by Trump marks a huge policy shift. Even though USA doesn't hold a great record in resolving protracted conflicts, hope both countries seize this opportunity to forge peace through dialogue.

Donald Trump's stunning claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue triggered a massive political row on Tuesday even as the government asserted that no such request was made to the US president and all issues will have to be resolved with Islamabad bilaterally.

The issue rocked both houses of Parliament with the Opposition demanding Modi's statement on Trump's controversial remarks, holding that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and no third party can intervene.

As the opposition ramped up the attack on the government, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in the Rajya Sabha that Modi had never made any such request to Trump and stressed that all outstanding issues with Pakistan can be discussed only bilaterally.

"Any engagement with Pakistan will require an end to cross border terrorism," he said, adding that the Simla and Lahore accords signed between India and Pakistan provide the basis for resolution of all issues bilaterally.

The External Affairs Ministry made a similar statement on Monday night after Trump's controversial comments that he met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House.