Islamabad SAARC summit to be cancelled with pullout of 4 countries

The SAARC summit of 2016 will be cancelled, a senior diplomatic source in Kathmandu has confirmed to The Hindu. The confirmation from Nepal, the current SAARC Chair, came hours after Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan followed India’s decision to stay away from the November summit to be held in Islamabad.

“There is no question of holding the summit if four countries declare their unwillingness to participate. As the current SAARC Chair, Nepal has the responsibility of seeking a solution to such pre-summit disputes but under the current circumstances nothing much can be attempted. We will do the due formalities and will declare the summit of 2016 should be cancelled due to non-participation of member-states,” said a Kathmandu-based diplomatic source.



Source:-THEHINDU
View more:Uttar Pradesh Mobile Number Database

Kerry had a great time despite rain, traffic: official

 Despite being stuck in New Delhi’s traffic and cancelling engagements due to heavy downpour, US Secretary of State John Kerry has had a “terrific” time in India over the last few days, his spokesperson has said.

“The Secretary was very grateful for the support, courtesy and the time that he was afforded by Indian leaders over the last two days. I am a little befuddled that you want to make a diplomatic row out of the fact that some of the meetings didn’t start on time,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference on Wednesday.

Mr. Kerry, he said, has had a “terrific couple of days” in India.

Responding to a question on Mr. Kerry getting delayed for events and having to cancel visits to religious sites due to inclement weather, Mr. Kirby pointed out that many meetings at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department including his daily news conference does not start on time even when there is no rain.

“I was late for the briefing, and that wasn’t even weather-related. But look, it’s been a great couple of days...he was very glad to be able to be in New Delhi and to have these discussions, and we look forward to continuing that deep relationship going forward,” Mr. Kirby said.

“There were some delays because of rain, and not even the Prime Minister, who we have great respect for, can do much about that. It’s weather, and that it caused some delays I think would be expected,” he said.

“As I understand from talking to Mark (Toner), my deputy, who is out there, this wasn’t just a sprinkle. This was pretty significant rain, right up to the top of the tires on the cars.”

Source:-thehindu
View more:-Uttar Pradesh Mobile Number Database

India summons Pakistani High Commissioner, issues demarche over cross border terror

Amid growing strain in ties, India on Tuesday summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and handed him a “strong demarche” over Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism by pushing in trained terrorists to carry out attacks, particularly in Kashmir.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called Mr. Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir during an encounter.

“Jaishankar called in the Pakistan envoy and issued a strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan.

“Demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pak national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Lahore, was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 with weapons (AK 47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc) as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Mr. Basit.

“Bahadur Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Toiba camps, he was infiltrated into India. He was thereafter in touch with an ‘operations room’ of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India,” it said.

The demarche mentioned that Ali, in a letter addressed to Mr. Basit, has requested legal aid and assistance to meet his family and India was prepared to grant the Pakistani mission consular access to him.

“The Government of India strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks. This is contrary to assurances given by the Pakistani leaders at the highest level,” as per the demarche.

Mr. Basit was summoned on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to people of Kashmir, which has been witnessing widespread unrest for over a month following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces. As many as 55 people have lost their lives in these incidents of violence.

The ties between India and Pakistan have seen growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Wani’s killing on July 8.

Not only did Mr. Sharif praise Wani and hailed him as a “martyr” but he also asserted “Kashmir will one day become Pakistan”, a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country “will not be realised even at the end of eternity”.
Source:-thehindu
Viewmore:-Punjab Mobile Number Database