India calls off FM meeting with Pakistan, says true face of PM Imran revealed after brutal killings

Hours after security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed on Friday, India called off the planned meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York saying true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been revealed.

The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the request of the Pakistan Prime Minister.

However, back to back incidents of increased violence in the state and killing of security personnel has put off India from engaging with Pakistan government that continues to push terror and violence from its soil.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed and the true face of the new Pakistan Prime Minister has been revealed.

"Since yesterday's announcement of a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York later this month, two deeply disturbing developments have taken place. The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Friday.

The announcement for the meeting between the two Foreign Ministers was made by the MEA spokesperson on Thursday. However, hours after the announcement, horrific incidents of terror were reported from Jammu and Kashmir. Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and one police constable were abducted and killed.

"The decision to agree to Pakistan's proposal for a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in New York later this month was in response to the spirit reflected in the letters from the new Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan. The letter from the Prime Minister of Pakistan had spoken of, inter alia bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism. Now, it is obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office. Any conversation with Pakistan in such an environment would be meaningless. In view of the changed situation, there will be no meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan in New York," the spokesperson said.

Apart from Friday's incident, on September 18, body of a Border Security Force Head Constable Narender Singh was found with multiple bullet injuries on his torso and neck.

In August, a policeman was shot dead by terrorists outside an Eidgah in Kulgam's Zazripora, when he was leaving after offering prayers. On June 14, in another incident, the gravely injured body of Aurangzeb, an Army personnel of 44 Rashtriya Rifles was found. He was abducted and killed by terrorists while he was returning home for the festival of Eid. On May 11, the bullet-ridden body of 23-year-old Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz was found in Shopian district of south Kashmir, hours after he was abducted by militants from a wedding procession.