India calls off talks with Pak after envoy invites separatists

Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit invited Hurriyat leaders in the national capital for "consultations" ahead of the talks, a move that angered the government at the Centre. 

 

"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," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said in a statement.

 

He also said that Pakistan's continued efforts to interfere in India’s internal affairs were "unacceptable."

 

"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. It was underlined that the Pakistani High Commissioner’s meetings with these so called leaders of the Hurriyat undermines the constructive diplomatic engagement initiated by Prime Minister Modi in May on his very first day in office," Akbaruddin said.

 

MEA said : "The only path available to Pakistan is to resolve outstanding issues through a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework and principles of the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration."

 

Akbaruddin said the talks stand cancelled since a visit by Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh will not serve any purpose. 

 

"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. Foreign Secretary's visit to Islamabad for talks on 25 August stands cancelled," his statement said.

 

Talks were also suspended last year over the beheading of Indian soldiers by Pakistani troopers.

 

There is also an ongoing border skirmish as at least 20 Border Security Force (BSF) posts were fired upon by Pakistan troopers in Arania and RS Pura sectors in Jammu since the wee hours of Sunday, prompting the BSF to retaliate and trigger a gunbattle, said officials on Monday.