ISLAMABAD: Saudi Foreign Minister Dr. Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz bin Al-Assaf expressed concern over the ‘grave’ situation in Kashmir, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement on Friday, released after a telephonic conversation between Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Saudi counterpart. 

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since August 5 when India revoked the special status of the part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir that it administers and moved to quell objections by shutting down communications and clamping down on local leaders.

Pakistan reacted with fury to India’s decision, cutting trade and transport ties and expelling India’s ambassador. Both countries claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part.

“Saudi Foreign Minister expressed concern over the grave situation [in Kashmir],” a statement from the Pakistani foreign office said. “Both foreign ministers agreed to remain in contact to establish peace in the region.”

No statement about the conversation was available from the Saudi foreign ministry. 

Providing details of the conversation between Qureshi and Al-Assaf, the foreign office said Qureshi briefed his counterpart about the ‘critical’ situation in Kashmir, alleging that India’s August 5 move was meant to turn Muslims into a minority in Muslim-majority Kashmir. He also apprised him about details of the security clampdown and communications blackout in the valley.

“International media and human rights organizations have been identifying the extreme violation of human rights in occupied Kashmir,” the statement quoted Qureshi as saying. “India’s unilateral actions in occupied Jammu and Kashmir are radically contrary to international law and resolutions of the UN Security Council.”

“The international community will have to play its effective role to save the unarmed Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian barbarism,” the Pakistani foreign minister added.