Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is unlikely to attend the SAARC Finance Minister’s conference in Islamabad this month due to strained Indo-Pakistan relations.
Arun Jaitley will not attend the SAARC Finance Minister’s conference in Islamabad on August 25 and 26. Revenue Secretary Shashikanta Das is likely to represent India at the SAARC Finance Minister’s conference in Islamabad.
In fact, India is unhappy with the way Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh was treated by Pakistan at the SAARC Home Minister’s conference held in Islamabad earlier this month.
Apart from that India is expecting more trouble in Pakistan due to Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day speech in which he said that the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir have thanked him for raising the issues of atrocities committed by Pakistani forces in both regions. Modi’s speech was in fact a counter attack on Pakistan which accused India of human rights violations in Kashmir valley.
The Indian establishment fears more backlash after the paradigm shift in India’s foreign policy towards Pakistan.
India-Pakistan animosity is as old as the creation of Pakistan but the recent hostility started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahedeen terrorist by security forces in Kashmir valley and the consequent unrest in the valley which got support from Pakistan.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.