ISLAMABAD - Senator John McCain telephoned former President Asif Ali Zardari Friday evening and discussed issues relating to the current situation as a result of war of words and hype in Indian propaganda against Pakistan.

The former president said that the hype in Indian propaganda against Pakistan was intended to hide from world view the atrocities against innocent Kashmiris.

He said that Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue and in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir. Dialogue is the only way forward, he said.

Zardari said that Prime Minister Modi was pandering to the far right with whose support he had come into power adding also that such policy only strengthened the non-state actors on both sides of the border.

Senator John McCain also acknowledged the sacrifices made by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

The former president said that Pakistan itself was the victim of extremism and terrorism and will never support terrorism. The Pakistan People’s Party and indeed the entire country and the nation condemned all forms of extremism and terrorism.

Both leaders agreed that Pakistan is part of solution to this problem and it is in the interest of peace and stability that Pakistan continued to play its part in the fight against the global threat of terrorism.