Our Correspondent

India today conveyed to to Pakistan that it should not go ahead with the meeting of its National Security Advisor(NSA) Sartaz Aziz with Hurriyat representatives in New Delhi when he comes to hold NSA-level talks.

In a clear message to the Pakistan High Commission, which has invited hardline Kashmir separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and others, India said such a meeting would not be in keeping with the spirit and intent of the understanding reached at UFA, Russia to jointly work to combat terrorism. Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Vikas Swarup said it will not be appropriate.

India’s NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Mr Aziz are scheduled to meet in New Delhi for talks on terrorism-related issues for the first time on Sunday, as decided in a meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif last month in Ufa in Russia.

Pakistan Foreign office had said in Islamabad that consultations with Hurriyat leaders were a routine matter and a long standing practice.

Sartaj Aziz