The strong stance by Delhi comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack followed by an aerial combat between the fighter jets of the two sides last month.
A view of India and Pakistan's national flag at Attari international border (File Photo: IANS)
The Government on Friday declined an invite by the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi to the reception for the Pakistan National Day held today evening, citing invitation extended to Hurriyat leaders at the event.
The Government has decided against sending any official representative because the neighbouring country has decided to invite Jammu and Kashmir separatist leaders to the event, officials said.
While Pakistan celebrates its National Day on March 23, the High Commission in Delhi is hosting the reception a day earlier.
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Pakistan High Commission’s frequent meetings with various Hurriyat leaders has always been objected by India which maintains that the Jammu and Kashmir issue is a bilateral one and that there is no place for any third party. Pakistan, however, has continued to engage with the Hurriyat leaders.
However, until now, the Government had not boycotted the National Day reception.
The strong stance by Delhi comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack followed by an aerial combat between the fighter jets of the two sides last month.
Over 44 CRPF personnel were killed and many injured on February 14 in one of the deadliest terror strikes in Jammu-Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near their bus in Pulwama district.
Following this, India carried out “non-military pre-emptive” airstrikes targeting the JeM training camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC) early on February 26.
Within a few after the Pulwama attack, J-K govt scrapped the security cover of 18 separatists including Syed Alishah Geelani, Yasin Malik and 155 other politicians.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during his visit to Srinagar a day after the Pulwama attack had said security given to people getting funds from Pakistan and its snooping agency ISI should be reviewed.
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