India calls off meet with Pakistan

​Srinagar: India on Friday called off meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York. “The situation at present is not conducive for any bilateral talks as Pak-backed militant outfits are still active in the Kashmir valley,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, while talking to reporters during a press briefing in New Delhi.

The move comes after three J&K policemen were abducted and killed by militants on Friday. The decision to call off the Foreign Minster-level talks was taken after a review meeting by the Central government. On September 14, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in a letter had proposed "a meeting between the foreign ministers, before the informal meeting of the Saarc foreign ministers at the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York".

On Thursday, the MEA had accepted the invitation and explicitly mentioned that this was not a "dialogue" but just a "meeting" that India accepted at the behest of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. Sources said that the Indian side is also unhappy with Pakistan leaking privilege communication between the two sides.

Sushma Swaraj and Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi are slated to address the 73rd UNGA session on September 29. Some tough statements on terrorism and Pakistan are expected by Swaraj even as Qureshi will not miss the opportunity to raise the issue of Kashmir.