Modi Govt.'s policies allowing Pak to bring Kashmir on centre-stage: Congress

The Congress Party on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's approach towards Pakistan has permitted the hostile neighbour to put Kashmir on the centre-stage.

Taking potshots at the government, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it seems that the ruling dispensation in New Delhi is providing breathing space to a nation, which was recognized as the epicenter of terror a few years ago.

"We have permitted Pakistan to put Kashmir on the centre-stage as against defending itself on national and international forum from not being a benefactor of terrorism," Surjewala told the media here.

Taking a note of the emergence of Pakistan in the global order, Surjewala said "The four nation talks on Afghanistan, the sale of F-16 to Pakistan by United States, the engagement of China through Economic corridor are signs of how we have allowed Pakistanis to emerge and reemerge in the global order".

Describing India's relations with global powers, Surjewala noted that the new space available to Pakistan also tells us the state of New Delhi's relationship with other global powers like the United States, China and Russia prominently.

"United States has lifted the sale of moratorium of sale of F-16 to Pakistan, Chinese have supported the Pakistani version by vetoing in United Nation, our quest to get Maulana Masood Azhar, the dreaded terrorist and our most trusted friend Russia has lifted the embargo from Pakistan when it comes to sale of Arms and is about to enter a strategic relationship for the first time in many decades," he added.

India has countered Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's assertion that the visit by Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the Pathankot terror attack was not on the basis of reciprocity.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the Indian High Commission in Islamabad had formally conveyed to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry that the terms of reference of the JIT's visit are broadly agreed to with the condition that these would be on the basis of reciprocity.

Earlier, during a media interaction, the Pakistan High Commissioner had said the whole investigation by the JIT is not about the question of reciprocity but is more about extending cooperation to each other to get to the bottom of the incident.

Reacting to Basit's remarks that the peace process between India and Pakistan stands suspended, Swarup referred to Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria's press conference in which he had stated that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out.