Disappointed by India’s arrogant response: Imran Khan

New Delhi: Terming India’s decision to call off the bilateral meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York as “arrogant and negative”, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi without naming him. “All my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture,” Mr Khan tweeted on Saturday.

His sharp reaction came after the Pakistani foreign ministry, late on Friday night, reacted to India’s decision, saying Islamabad is “deeply disappointed” and that the reasons being given by India for calling off the meet “are entirely unconvincing”.

On Friday, the Indian government, citing “the latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a (slain) terrorist (Burhan Wani) and terrorism,” had called off the meeting in New York.

Challenging India’s reasons, the Pakistan foreign ministry said the killing of the BSF soldier had taken place before Thursday’s announce ment by India of the bilateral meeting and that the postage stamps on Burhan Wani had been issued before Mr Khan assumed office as Pakistan’s Prime Minister.

Denying any role in the killing of the BSF soldier, Islamabad also offered “to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth”.

India had, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said, “by its ill-considered cancellation of the meeting, has once again wasted a serious opportunity to change the dynamics of the bilateral relationship and put the region on the path of peace and development”.

On September 14, Mr Khan had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about India and Pakistan resuming dialogue that have been suspended since 2015. Addressing the PM as “Modi Sahab”, Mr Khan suggested a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries “before the informal meeting of the Saarc Foreign Ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York”.

Pakistan, he wrote, “remains ready” to discuss terrorism.

“We... owe it to our peoples, especially the future generations, to peacefully resolve all outstanding issues, including the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, to bridge differences and achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. Siachin (sic) and Sir Creek also need close attention to move towards resolution,” Mr Khan added.

On September 18, the body of a Border Security Force jawan killed by “unprovoked firing” from Pakistan was found in a mutilated condition.

Two days later, on September 20, India announced that the foreign ministers of the two countries will meet on the sidelines of UNGA.

The next day, however, after three Kashmiri policemen in the Valley were abducted and killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists, India called off the meeting saying these incidents “exposed” the “true face” of Pakistan’s new Prime Minister to the world as well as Islamabad’s evil agenda behind the proposal for talks.

Pakistan “will not mend its ways,” and any “conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless”, India said.

Pakistan termed as “most unfortunate” India’s reference “to the person of the Prime Minister of Pakistan”, but added, “We choose not to further comment beyond saying that these comments are against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication.”  

Late Friday night, the Pakistan foreign ministry had 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. The so-called ‘disturbing developments’ alluded to in the Indian statement predated the Indian agreement to hold the bilateral meeting in New York. Firstly, the alleged killing of Border Security Force soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting. When the allegations of Pakistan’s involvement first appeared, the Pakistan Rangers clearly conveyed to BSF through official channels that Pakistan had nothing to do with it. Pakistan Rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier’s body. These facts were known to the Indian authorities... Yet this motivated and malicious propaganda continued. Pakistan takes this opportunity to categorically reject these allegations once again. Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth. Secondly, the postage stamps mentioned in the Indian statement were issued before the 25 July 2018 elections, as a result of which the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan assumed office.”