We are a nuclear power, know how to defend ourselves: Sartaj Aziz

Ending the suspense, Pakistan tonight called off the India-Pakistan NSA-level talks, hours after India made it clear that discussions on Kashmir and a meeting with separatists will not be acceptable.

Terming cancellation of dialogue between India and Pakistan as “unfortunate”, CPI(M) on Monday charged that there were “weaknesses” in Centre’s stand vis-a-vis the Ufa agreement, which was the basis for the two countries deciding to hold NSA-level talks here.

“The arrest of a key Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah as he arrived in New Delhi to meet (Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Sartaj) Aziz and the arrest on Saturday of senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani also sends out the same message”.

The cabinet also discussed the security situation in the country.

The proposed high-ranking talks between the national security advisers (NSA) of India and Pakistan have been called off, raising fresh tensions in the subcontinent.

India cancelled talks with Pakistan previous year between the two countries’ foreign secretaries, outraged over a similar meeting that took place, a move that set back already tense relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

“The prime ministers themselves mostly have encouraging words about the bilateral relationship, but they allow their underlings to damage goodwill and trust”.

There is nothing new about Pakistan’s commitment to support the cause of separatism in Kashmir and there is nothing new about New Delhi’s inability to handle the local separatists – sometimes with kid gloves and other times with an iron fist.

About a dozen militant groups have been fighting since 1989 for either the independence of the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir or its merger with Pakistan. He further said that the possibility of any future dialogue would depend on Pakistan.

As the United States expressed disappointment over the talks’ collapse, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh indicated the door was still open for dialogue.

They demanded that Pakistan must first must stop shelling India’s border areas before coming to the table for the talks. “We condemn it”, the Congress leader said, adding that Pakistan is clearly using the refuge of technicalities to avoid talk on terror.