President Barack Obama shakes hands with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Thursday, October 22, 2015. (Press Trust of India photo)
Kashmir and violence along the Line of Control today figured in a joint statement issued by US President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, both of whom called for a "sustained and resilient" India-Pakistan dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues.
The references to India-Pakistan ties and the need to resolve all outstanding disputes, including Kashmir, between the two countries were present in a statement by the two leaders released by the Pakistan Foreign Office.
President Obama and Mr Sharif underlined that improvement in Pakistan-India bilateral relations would "greatly enhance" prospects for lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, according to the statement.
"The leaders emphasised the importance of a sustained and resilient dialogue process between the two neighbours aimed at resolving all outstanding territorial and other disputes, including Kashmir, through peaceful means and working together to address mutual concerns of India and Pakistan regarding terrorism," the statement said.
Mr Sharif apprised Mr Obama about Pakistan's resolve to take "effective action" against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliates, as per its international commitments and obligations under UN Security Council resolutions.
The statement was released soon after Mr Sharif and Mr Obama held their bilateral talks at the White Office's Oval Office.
Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) and Afghanistan-based dreaded Haqqani network are not banned in Pakistan. India has been pressing Islamabad to take action against Hafiz Saeed who has been spewing venom against India and the US.
Pakistan has, however, ruled out the possibility of banning JuD and maintained that there is no evidence to link it with terrorism and the outlawed LeT.