India Calls Off Talks With Pakistan

India called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York today, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the release of postal stamps glorifying Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

"In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," he said.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that India has "priorities other than dialogue" and alleged that there is a group in New Delhi that does not want talks to happen. Pakistan's English daily ‘The Express Tribune' quoted Qureshi as suggesting that India had not responded positively to Pakistan's invitation for dialogue.

"It seems that India is already preparing for its elections due in the country next year," he said. "Pakistan had asked for the talks in the larger interest of the region" he said. He went on to say that if India does not want a dialogue, then Pakistan, too, would not be in a haste, the newspaper reported.

But, the Pakistan minister reiterated that dialogue is the only way to come to the resolution of any issue, the report said.

Raveesh Kumar noted that "two deeply disturbing developments have taken place" since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month.

Reacting strongly, the MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said talks with Pakistan in such an environment would be "meaningless.”