India calls off meeting with Pakistan foreign minister, says Imran Khan’s true face exposed

India has called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York, citing the "brutal" killing of a BSF jawan along the International Border and the release of postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying militant Burhan Wani.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

NEW DELHI: India has called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York scheduled for later this month, citing the "brutal" killing of a BSF jawan along the International Border and the release of postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying militant Burhan Wani. Addressing a press conference here, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "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." Kumar said India had agreed for a meeting with Pakistan foreign minister on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly later this month because of the spirit that was reflected in the letters of Prime Minister Imran Khan to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. "The letter had spoken of inter alia, bringing a positive change and mutual desire for peace as also readiness to discuss terrorism. Now, it's obvious that behind Pakistan's proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, its evil agenda stands exposed and the true face of the new prime minister Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office," Kumar said. "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," he said. India had on Thursday clarified that the meeting was not resumption of the dialogue process and came as a response to a letter written by Khan to  Modi seeking resumption of dialogue and suggesting a meeting between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UNGA, and a letter written by Qureshi to Sushma Swaraj.