India calls off talks with Pakistan; cites Jammu & Kashmir killings

Following Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s proposal to India Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resume peace talks, the stage was set for India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to meet her counterpart during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. However, in a sudden move, India cancelled all talks with Pakistan. India has cited abduction and killing of three Jammu and Kashmir jawans and recently released postal stamps in which they glorified Kashmir militant commander Burhan Wani as the reasons to stop “talks” on peace.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesman Raveesh Kumar went on record saying the true face of newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had been exposed. “It’s obvious that behind Pakistan’s proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in the office,” Kumar said a press briefing, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Raising the issue of two recent incidents which took place in a short span of time even after the declaration of talks between the two estranged neighbours, Kumar didn’t mince his words. “Since yesterday’s announcement of meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities and the recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists has confirmed that Pakistan has not mended its ways…” he said in the media briefing.

It may be recalled that Khan had already sent a letter to India Prime Minister for the resumption of peace talks and then only the meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was scheduled in New York.

It was in December 2015 when the foreign ministers of both countries met in Islamabad which followed India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore.

ALSO READ: Jammu & Kashmir: Hizbul terrorists kidnap 4 cops; kill 3, spare 1