Islamabad halts Samjhauta Exp train service
After Pakistan downgraded its ties with India and cancelled the operation of Samjhauta Express train service, India on Thursday termed these moves as an attempt to present an alarming picture to the world about relations between the two countries.
Urging Islamabad to review its decision, the Ministry of External Affairs said the Constitution was, is and will always be a sovereign matter and asserted that the recent developments pertaining to Article 370 are entirely India’s internal affair.
The MEA said Pakistan’s perception of India’s developmental move is not surprising as Islamabad has utilised such sentiments to justify sponsorship of its cross-border terrorism against India.
“The Constitution of India was, is and will always be a sovereign matter. Seeking to interfere in that jurisdiction by invoking an alarmist vision of the region will never succeed,” the MEA said in a statement.
India on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution removing special status to Jammu & Kashmir, and has also bifurcated the State into two Union Territories — Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Reacting to India’s decisions on J&K, Pakistan on Wednesday expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, soon after deciding to downgrade the diplomatic ties with India over what it dubbed New Delhi’s “unilateral and illegal” move.
“Recent decisions by the Government and Parliament of India are driven by a commitment to extend to Jammu & Kashmir opportunities for development that were earlier denied by a temporary provision in the Constitution,” the MEA said.
The intention behind Pakistan’s announcement on downgrading diplomatic ties was to present “an alarming picture to the world of our bilateral ties”.
“The Government of India regrets the steps announced by Pakistan on Wednesday and would urge that country to review them so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved,” the MEA said.
India’s decisions on Jammu & Kashmir will result in the removal of gender and socio-economic discrimination and are expected to fuel development there.
“It is also expected to result in an upswing of economic activity and improvement in the livelihood prospects of all people of Jammu & Kashmir,” it said.
“It is not surprising that such developmental initiatives that could address any disaffection in Jammu & Kashmir should be negatively perceived in Pakistan, which has utilised such sentiments to justify its cross-border terrorism,” it added.
Experts said Pakistan’s reactions are aimed at addressing the domestic audience which has been fed by the state that Kashmir is burning and is a national agenda. The terror groups backed by Pakistan have also milked the so-called sentiment on Kashmir to collect funds from the masses. The reactions by Pakistan especially downgrading diplomatic ties could also be a signal that it is not in a position to engage in a war with India. Countries preparing for war want more number of diplomats for propaganda in a hostile country, experts added.