"I trust Pakistan", Ready to mediate if India and Pakistan agree, says Donald Trump
New York, Sep 23: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was ready to mediate between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir issue if both sides agree as he described himself as "an extremely good arbitrator".
India maintains that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral one and no third party has any role in it.
Trump made the remarks during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session here.
"The most powerful country in the world has a responsibility," Khan said alongside Trump, warning that the "crisis (in Kashmir) is going to get much bigger."
"If I can help, I will certainly help," Trump responded, a day after attending 'Howdy, Modi' rally in Houston, where he shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and displayed a close friendship and a common vision on fighting terrorism.
"If both (Pakistan and India) want, I am ready to do it," he said, describing the Kashmir issue as a "complex" one which has been going on for a long time.
"I have very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi. I have very good relationship with Prime Minister Khan...I would be an extremely good arbitrator. I have never failed as an arbitrator," Trump told reporters, avoiding to directly answer a question on Kashmir.
Trump praised the 'Howdy, Modi' mega rally in presence of Khan and said he has heard a "very aggressive statement" by Prime Minister Modi at the mega rally.
"It was very well received within the room," Trump said, referring to the gathering of 50,000 people at the NRG Stadium in Houston.
"I hope India and Pakistan will do something that is very smart and good for both. There is always a solution," the US President said.
At the rally on Sunday, Modi hit out at Pakistan for its support to terrorism and said India's decision to nullify Article 370 has caused trouble to those who cannot handle their country as he called for a "decisive battle" against terrorism.
When asked about the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir by a Pakistani reporter, Trump said that he wants everybody to be treated well.
"I want to see everything workout. Everybody to be treated well. You have two big countries, two warring countries and they have been fighting," the US President said.
During his press interaction alongside Khan, Trump repeatedly snubbed Pakistani reporters and on one occasion even asked one of the journalists whether he is part of the Pakistani delegation.
"Where do you find reporters like these," Trump asked Khan in response to a question posed by a Pakistani journalist on Kashmir.
On Pakistan-US ties, Trump said: "People in my position have treated Pakistan very badly."
"I trust Pakistan but people before me didn't, but they didn't know what they were doing," he said in response to a question.
Khan, who has declared himself an ambassador of Kashmiris, on Sunday briefed US lawmakers, scholars, human rights activists and the media on the repercussions of India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.
Trump and Imran last met in July at the White House. During their first one-on-one interaction, the US president had expressed his willingness to mediate between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue - an offer India rejected.
During Modi's meeting with President Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France last month, the prime minister categorically rejected any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir.
"All the issues between India and Pakistan are of bilateral in nature, and we don't want to trouble any third country. We can discuss and resolve these issues bilaterally," Modi had said.
On his part, Trump had said he and Modi spoke about Kashmir "at great length" during the G7 Summit and he feels that both India and Pakistan can resolve it on their own.
His comments on Kashmir in the French city of Biarritz was seen as an apparent backtracking from his earlier comments, offering mediation.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
India's action evoked strong reactions from Pakistan which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian Ambassador.
Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue but India has asserted that the abrogation of Article 370 was its "internal matter". New Delhi has also asked Islamabad to accept the reality and stop its anti-India rhetoric.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
