Head of Pakistan administered Kashmir calls for international mediation

ISLAMABAD - The head of the Pakistan-administered region of Kashmir called for international mediation and said on April 30 that his administration was preparing a humanitarian response in case of any further escalation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.

Pakistans government has said it has credible intelligence that India intends to launch military action soon after days of escalating tensions following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

India blamed Pakistan for the April 22 attack, which left 26 people dead, which Islamabad has denied.

There is a lot of activity going on and anything could happen so we have to prepare for it. These few days are very important, the president of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Mr Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, told Reuters in an interview, calling for rapid international diplomacy to de-escalate the situation.

We expect some mediation at this time from some friendly countries and we hope that that mediation must take place, otherwise India would do anything this time, he said.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates could be in a position to mediate, he added.

Mr Chaudhry also said he hoped major players like the US and Britain might also get involved.

He said activity along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the two portions of Kashmir was hot and that Pakistan had shot down two Indian drones in the last few days.

There had been regular firing by Pakistani and Indian soldiers day and night, though so far there had been no casualties, he said.

Pakistan had also detected Indian Rafale fighter jets flying near the LoC, though they had not crossed, he added.

The Indian Air Force did not respond to a request for comment, though an Indian military official said Rafale jets were doing their usual training and drills along the