Frigid relations between India, Pak permeates SAARC meeting

Islamabad, August 4

Frigid ties between India and Pakistan over the ongoing unrest in Kashmir became apparent at the venue of SAARC interior ministers’ conference as the meeting went underway on Thursday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his Pakistan’ counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan greeted each other with the briefest handshake — their hands barely touched — before the Indian Home Minister moved to enter the conference hall.

The Indian press was kept well away from the meeting hall, leading to an argument between a senior Indian and Pakistan official.

Khan claimed Pakistan was "committed to SAARC processes, and, desires to see it as a successful regional organisation".

"We must do a reality check of what we have achieved so far and what still remains. It is time for us to seize the moment, to leverage our potential and overcome our choices," he said.

"We have made substantial contribution towards various SAARC processes and have taken a number of initiatives in furthering the goal of close regional integration," he said.

Relationship between nuclear-armed rivals — already strained — has turned frigid in the past few weeks since violence began in Kashmir after the death of a militant commander.

Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by security forces in an operation on July 8 in Kashmir’s Anantnag district. His death sparked violence that killed more than 45 people in the Valley and left nearly 6,000 injured.

Pakistan’s repeatedly “provocative” statements on the issue has been condemned the statements by India, which calls the Kashmir crisis an internal dispute. — Agencies