India on Friday cancelled a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York later this month, blaming Islamabad and Khan for glorifying terrorism
Islamabad: Newly-appointed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that India’s response to call off talks between between the foreign ministers of the two countries was "arrogant and negative".
India on Friday cancelled a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York later this month, blaming Islamabad and Khan for glorifying terrorism.
Khan expressed his disappointment on microblogging site Twitter over the latest development and said India’s response was “arrogant and negative”.
"Disappointed at the arrogant and negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue," tweeted Khan.
“However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture," he added.
Disappointed at the arrogant & negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 22, 2018
On Friday, the Modi government said that it cancelled talks with Pakistan following two "deeply disturbing" developments that led to Islamabad's "evil agenda" being exposed.
The government said that the cold blooded killing of a BSF jawan near international border in Jammu and Kashmir, and abduction and brutal killing of three police officers in south Kashmir by Pakistan-based entities shows that “Islamabad will not mend its ways”.
The government also mentioned that Islamabad had recently issued postage stamps in memory of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen leader who was shot dead by Indian security forces in July 2016, only shows its ill motives.
Following this, the Pakistan Foreign Office had issued a statement stating that India’s charges are unconvincing and termed New Delhi’s decision ‘deeply disappointing’.
“The government of Pakistan is deeply disappointed at the announcement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi today about the cancellation of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, which was to be held on the sidelines of UNGA in New York,” the statement said.
“The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the Foreign Ministers’ meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing,” it added.
Last Updated Sep 22, 2018, 5:19 PM IST