India has said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the issue was strictly internal to the country. "Are they ready to review their decisions? If they do, we can also review our decisions. The review will be on both sides. That is what Simla (agreement) says," Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said
Islamabad: Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday (August 8) said that Pakistan is all set to review its decision against India if New Delhi agrees to reconsider its actions in Kashmir.
Qureshi's remarks came a day after Pakistan expelled the Indian High Commissioner as part of its decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with India over what it called New Delhi's "unilateral and illegal" move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan also announced that it would review all "bilateral arrangements" with India.
India has said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the issue was strictly internal to the country.
"Are they ready to review their decisions? If they do, we can also review our decisions. The review will be on both sides. That is what Simla (agreement) says," Qureshi said.
The Pakistan foreign minister also replied in the affirmative when asked about reducing the strength of diplomatic staff and restricting their movement. However, he did not elaborate on the issue as to how they would do it.
He also said Pakistan would legally examine the Simla agreement.
The Simla agreement, signed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and then Pakistan President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in July 1972, was a comprehensive blueprint for good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan.
The bilateral agreements with India would be reviewed by the select committee set up by the prime minister, he said. However, he did not specify which of the agreements would be considered.
Earlier, the Pakistan railways minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed announced that the Samjhauta Express train service with India had been suspended.
"We have decided to suspend Samjhauta train service," Qureshi said.
Rejecting India's assertion that Kashmir was its internal matter, Qureshi referred to India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and said, "Nehru announced on 14 occasions" that "future of Kashmir will by the goodwill and pleasure of Kashmiri people."
Qureshi said that Pakistan would take the issue of Kashmir to the UN Security Council. He said that he would go to China soon to consult on the recent developments in the region.
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