Relations between India and Pakistan remain tense due to a number of incidents that have taken place in the last few days. The Pakistani army violated ceasefire in the wee hours of Sunday, opening fire at an Indian post in Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir. This was reported by PTI.
The incident comes a day after at least 11 people were killed after a grenade was detonated in the same area. The area has been cordoned off and a search operation launched. The incident has been linked with the unrest in the Valley, ahead the death of Burhan Wani, commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen. So far, at least 65 people have been killed.
On Sunday, Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit dedicated Pakistani’s Independence Day, which falls a day prior to India’s, to Kashmir’s ‘azaadi’ or freedom. He said his country has “always made efforts” to improve relations with India. For this reason, this year, Pakistan will dedicate its Independence to Kashmir’s struggle for freedom, he said.
In a very strongly-worded reaction to Pakistan, India on Friday said it will discuss only “contemporary and relevant” issues, like cross-border terrorism and infiltration by terrorists, and not the on-going crisis in Jammu and Kashmir. The statement was in response to Pakistan’s national advisor Sartaj Aziz, who called for talks on the unrest in J&K.
Indian foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, “India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time, they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali , incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognized terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan.”
