Baku-APA. Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- India Monday said it has called off foreign-secretary level talks with Pakistan, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
The talks were scheduled to be held in Islamabad on August 25.
"At a time when serious initiatives were being undertaken by the Government of India to move bilateral ties forward, including towards the resumption of a regular dialogue process, the invitation to so-called leaders of the Hurriyat by Pakistan's High Commissioner does indeed raise questions about Pakistan's sincerity, and shows that its negative approaches and attempts to interfere in India's internal affairs continue unabated," India's External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
The decision regarding cancellation of talks was conveyed by Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh to Pakistan through its High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit.
"Indian foreign secretary conveyed to the Pakistan high commissioner today in clear and unambiguous terms that Pakistan's continued efforts to interfere in India's internal affairs were unacceptable," Syed Akbaruddin, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said.
"It was underlined that the Pakistani High Commissioner's meetings with these so called leaders of the Hurriyat undermine the constructive diplomatic engagement initiated by Prime Minister Modi in May on his very first day in office."
The decision came against the backdrop of Basit's meeting with Kashmiri separatist leaders. Basit had last week extended invitations to separatist leaders, including heads of Hurriyat ( freedom) Conferences for a meeting at Pakistan High Commission office in New Delhi.
On Monday a senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah met Basit in New Delhi. Sources said India's decision to scrap foreign- secretary level talks was conveyed to Basit, while he was in meeting with Shah.
The separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik are scheduled to meet Basit on Tuesday.
New Delhi believes only path available to Pakistan was to resolve outstanding issues through a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework and principles of the Simla agreement and the Lahore declaration.
"Therefore, under the present circumstances, it is felt that no useful purpose will be served by the Indian foreign secretary going to Islamabad next week," Akbaruddin said. "Foreign secretary 's visit to Islamabad for talks on Aug. 25 stands cancelled."
Pakistan High Commissioner's invitations to separatist leaders for meetings have evoked sharp reaction from opposition Congress party, who criticized the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) for not having clear stand on Pakistan.
Analysts view New Delhi's decision to call of talks as the fallout of that criticism.
Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi in the past has been holding meetings with Kashmiri separatists.
Last week Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Pakistan of engaging in "proxy war" against India, an allegation strongly rejected by Islamabad.
The troops of Indian and Pakistan over the past few days have been violating cease-fire along line-of-control (LoC) and international border (IB) in Kashmir and targeting each other's posts with small arms and mortars.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
