India accuses Pak of portraying alarming bilateral picture

India accuses Pak of portraying alarming bilateral picture
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi: India on Thursday termed Pakistan downgrading diplomatic ties with it as an attempt to present an alarming picture to the world about bilateral relations, and urged Islamabad to review its decision.

The Ministry of External Affairs said India regretted the steps announced by Pakistan on Wednesday and asserted that its decision on Jammu and Kashmir is an internal affair.

The ministry said Pakistan negatively perceiving India's developmental move is not surprising as the neighbouring country has utilised such sentiments to justify its cross-border terrorism.

"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 and Kashmir, and has also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Reacting to the decision, Pakistan on Wednesday expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, soon after deciding to downgrade the diplomatic ties with India over what it called 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 and Kashmir opportunities for development that were earlier denied by a temporary provision in the Constitution," the MEA said.

It 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.

It said India's decisions on Jammu and Kashmir will result in the removal of gender and socio-economic discrimination.

"It is also expected to result in an upswing of economic activity and improvement in the livelihood prospects of all people of Jammu and Kashmir," it said.

"It is not surprising that such developmental initiatives that could address any disaffection in Jammu and Kashmir should be negatively perceived in Pakistan, which has utilized such sentiments to justify its cross-border terrorism," it added.

Samjhauta Express stopped at Wagah

Pakistan has suspended the Samjhauta Express train service with India, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced on Thursday, a day after Islamabad downgraded the diplomatic ties with New Delhi.

"We have decided to suspend the Samjhuta train service," Rasheed said while addressing a press conference here.

"Till I am Railways minister, Samjhauta Express train service will not operate," he said, adding that the bogies of the train will now be used for passengers travelling on the occasion of Eid.

The Samjhauta Express train service was suspended earlier this year, due to escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries. However, the service was later resumed.

"The next three to four months are very important. War can happen, but we do not want a war. If war is waged on us, it will be the last one," the railways minister warned.

The minister made the announcement as passengers were waiting at the Lahore station to board the train to travel to India.

Indian crew members and guard escorted the Samjhauta Express from Wagah border to Attari after Pakistan authorities stopped the train on their side.

They said that Pakistan had stopped the train at Wagah border claiming security concerns, and passengers were stranded briefly.

"When we received the information from the Pakistani authorities at around 2:14 pm, we assured them that there are no security concerns and the train should come here. However, we also told them that if necessary an Indian crew and guard will escort the train to Attari," a senior railway official told PTI.

Samjhauta
Samjhauta Express. File photo

The Samjhauta Express, named after the Hindi word for "agreement", comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. The train service was started on July 22, 1976 under the Simla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations.

On the Indian side, the train runs from Delhi to Attari and from Lahore to Wagah on the Pakistan side.

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