Indian foreign policy dictated by electoral compulsions: Mehbooba

Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Thursday that India had dubbed the Pakistan Foreign Minister's telephone call to Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq as "anti-India" due to electoral politics.

"A foreign policy dictated by the compulsions of electoral politics is shockingly pathetic," she said.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood on Wednesday to lodge a strong protest over Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's call to Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, on Tuesday.

Gokhale called it a "brazen attempt by Pakistan to subvert India's unity".

Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti tweeted on Thursday: "Terming a phone call between Pakistani FM and Mirwaiz Farooq as anti-India has reduced ties to an unbelievable nadir.

"Ironically it was NDA under (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee that facilitated meetings between Hurriyat leaders and Pakistani dignitaries plus allowing them to visit Pakistan to hold talks with the establishment including then President General (Pervez) Musharraf."