New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday described the Kashmir issue as a “big problem” and a “thorn” for a long time, and offered to mediate in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

However, he clarified that he is not offering to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

At a packed press conference, the US president also said ways to deal with terrorism figured prominently in his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, Trump stressed, is determined to check the menace.

“We talked a lot about Pakistan. I have a very good relationship with Prime Minister Khan. We talked about it today at length with Prime Minister Modi. No question it is a problem. It is a problem, they are working on it,” Trump said.

He further added: “We just hope, and I just said I’ll do whatever I have to do, if I can do that because my relationship with both gentlemen is so good. But there has been difficulty in Pakistan. We are seeing what we can do about it. Anything I can do to mediate, anything I can do to help I would do.”

Later, asked about India’s rejection of his earlier offer to mediate on Kashmir, the US president said he is not offering to mediate on the issue.

“Kashmir has been a thorn in a lot of people’s sides for a long time. There are two sides to every story,” said Trump.

Since withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, Trump has made his offer to mediate on Kashmir at least four times

India’s position has been that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and there is no question of any mediation.

On terrorism, Trump said the issue was discussed “at great length”, and that Modi has very strong views over it.

“Modi is a very religious man, he is a very calm man, but actually he is a very very strong person, and very tough, actually. I have seen him in action. He has got that foremost on his mind (to deal with) terrorism. He will take care of it,” Trump said.

After talks with Trump, Modi, in his media statement, said both sides have taken a decision to further increase efforts to hold supporters of terrorism responsible.

On his part, Trump said both the countries affirmed their commitment to protect their citizens from radical Islamic terrorism.

In his media statement earlier, Trump said the United States is working productively with Pakistan to confront terrorists who operate on its soil.

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that issues involving the Citizenship (Amendment) Act are up to India and asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants people to have religious freedom. Trump, who held comprehensive talks with Modi on the second and the last day of his visit, said these were great and fantastic two days.

“I’m gonna be not at all controversial because…I don’t want to blow the two days plus two days of travel on one answer, one little answer, like John will ask me one simple question and you will blow it out and that will be the end of the trip. You wont even talk about the trip. So I will be very conservative in my answers if you don’t mind,” Trump said at a press conference.

Describing the Kashmir issue as a “big problem” between India and Pakistan, he said it is “a thorn in a lot of people’s sides” and reiterated his offer to mediate between the two countries to ease the tension.

“If anything I can do to mediate, I will do,” he said, adding that Pakistan figured in his talks with Modi.

“I have good equation with Pakistan PM Imran Khan. They are working to control cross-border terrorism,” he said.

He said he discussed the issue of religious freedom at length with Modi during his comprehensive talks and that the Indian leader wants people to have this freedom.

“We discussed it. Prime Minister Modi said they work very closely with Muslims,” Trump replied when asked if raised the allegations of discrimination against Muslims in India.

Trump described Modi as a “terrific” leader and India as a “tremendous country”.

“We did talk about religious freedom. Prime Minister Modi wants people to have religious freedom in India…If you look back India has worked hard for religious freedom,” Trump said.

To a question about India’s new citizenship law, he said, “I don’t want to say anything on CAA. It is up to India. I hope it will take the right decision for its people.”

Asked if he discussed the incidents of violence taking place during his visit here, he said that he didn’t discuss individual attacks and “that is up to India”.

He also said that India is buying a lot of military hardware from the US.

On the issue of trade, he said India is probably the nation with highest tariffs and noted that the Harley Davidson has to pay “huge amount of tariff”.

The US has to be treated fairly, he added.

He also talked about his country’s peace deal with the Taliban with Modi, and said that India will like to see it happen.

To a question about reports of Russia trying to influence the US presidential poll, he said intelligence agencies never shared such information with him.

New Delhi: Fresh violence over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act wracked northeast Delhi again, killing at least eight more people on Tuesday, taking the total number of deaths to 13. Violence cut a swathe through several localities, including Chand Bagh and Bhajanpura, with stones and other missiles hurled and shops set ablaze.

The Delhi Police have issued a shoot-at-sight order in the riot-hit areas. In the announcement, the police said that a curfew has been imposed in four areas of the northeast district of Delhi.

Police said 11 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence and that the force is responding to incidents involving anti-social elements.

“Situation in northeast Delhi is under control, even as several parts of the area continued to reel under violence,” said Delhi Police spokesperson Mandeep Singh Randhawa. He said only one person has been arrested though over 20 people have been detained.

Delhi Police officer Rattan Lal was among the five people who lost their lives in the clashes on Monday. Lal (42), a head constable attached to the office of the ACP Gokalpuri, took a bullet to his left shoulder and it was recovered during the procedure from his right shoulder. It was earlier reported that Lal died from injuries sustained in stone-pelting in Gokalpuri.

Randhawa evaded question on whether action will be taken against BJP leader Kapil Mishra who is accused of making provocative statements.

“All these things are under investigation. We will investigate and take action against conspirators,” he said.

“We are responding to stray incidents of violence. Sufficient force has been deployed in northeast Delhi. RAF, SSB and CRPF have also been deployed. The MHA has given us additional force and we are deploying it,” he further said.

Though the violence continued unabated, police officials said the situation was under control and flag marches were conducted in Bhajanpura, Khajuri Khas and other places. Sixty-seven companies of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the area.

Several media persons have also been injured as they were targetted by the mob while reporting from the area. Akshay, a journalist with JK 24X7 News, received a bullet injury and was in a serious condition in hospital.

Schools to remain closed

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said all private and government schools in violence affected northeast Delhi will continue to be closed on Wednesday. Sisodia, who is also the education minister of Delhi, said all internal examinations have been postponed by schools. The CBSE has postponed Class 10, 12 exams in northeast Delhi scheduled on Wednesday. However, exams will be held in the remaining areas as per schedule.

There are a total of 86 centres in northeast Delhi. While Class 10 students had English exam, Class 12 students had optional exams, including Web Application and Media. “The exam will be conducted in rest parts of Delhi as per earlier schedule. A fresh date for the exam in northeast Delhi will be announced shortly,” a CBSE official told PTI.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who held a meeting with senior officials and MLAs of all parties to discuss the situation, asked people to refrain from violence and said all issues can be dealt with through dialogue.

Earlier Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting of Delhi’s LG Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Kejriwal and Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik. It was decided in the meeting to enhance police-MLA coordination in the national capital and also reactive peace committees with representatives of all sections of society, religions and eminent local citizens.

Jammu: Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged fire and mortar shells along Line of Control in Pooch district of Jammu region.

Defense sources told Kashmir News Trust that Pakistan Army on Tuesday lobbed mortars and fired from small arms to target forward posts and civilians areas along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir”s Poonch district.

The areas targeted were in Kirni, Qasba and Shahpura, sources said. The firing and shelling has triggered panic in border areas.

On Friday last, at least seven residential buildings were damaged in heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control in Shahpur, Dokri and Qasba areas in Poonch district.

Army Chief Gen M M Narvane on Tuesday visited Kashmir to review the security situation in the Valley, Army sources said.

Army chief reached the Kashmir valley on Tuesday to review the prevailing security situation, they said.

The sources said Gen Narvane is likely to be briefed by senior Army officials on the counter-insurgency operations in the hinterland and alertness of the anti-infiltration grid along the Line of Control (LoC).

The Army chief’s visit comes days ahead of the change of guard at the strategic 15 Corps in the valley.

Lt Gen B S Raju will take over the command of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, relieving Lt Gen K J S Dhillon.

Lt Gen Raju has served as the General officer Commanding of the south Kashmir-based Victor Force, responsible for the anti-insurgency operations in the restive area.

BY: Owais Gul

Srinagar: After remaining suspended for nearly seven months, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is all set to restore the broadband internet services in the Valley within next 72 hours.

Official sources said that the technical team has been working to create a firewall, which will thwart the attempts of consumers to access the social media sites.

Reliable sources further added that the broadband internet services would likely be restored within next 72-hours in the Valley. They informed that the BSNL government-run-cellular company has bought firewall, adding that the technical teams are working over it.

Sources in the administration, however, said that the BSNL cellular company was already asked to restore the broadband services in the Valley, but the delay in restoring the services was due to blocking the social media sites. “There is provocation from across the Line of Control (LoC) through the social media applications. Therefore, at this point of time, it was mandatory to thwart such kind of provocations by creating firewalls to maintain peace and law and order in Jammu and Kashmir,” sources officials said.

Pertinently, the services were suspended in wake of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status (Article 370) and bifurcation of erstwhile State into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh on August 5 last year.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has restored the broadband internet services as well as 2G mobile data services in Jammu region while only 2G mobile internet services have been restored in the Valley with imposing curbs on social networking sites.

The restoration of internet services in Jammu and Kashmir was followed by the Supreme Court directions on January 10 this year is in compliance of the order in Anuradha Bhasin Vs Union of India and others—(KNO)