This Article is From Apr 09, 2016

Abdul Basit's NIA Remark Won't Help Improve Relations: Kiren Rijiju

Abdul Basit's NIA Remark Won't Help Improve Relations: Kiren Rijiju

Kiren Rijiju said Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's statement on not allowing NIA team to visit Islamabad was wrong.

New Delhi: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's statement on not allowing a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team to visit Islamabad was wrong and won't help improve bilateral relations.

"We reject the high commissioner's statement. What he has said is wrong. It will not help improve relations between the two countries," the minister of state for home told reporters in Delhi.

Mr Basit on Thursday said bilateral talks between India and Pakistan were "suspended" and that there was no question of allowing a NIA team to visit Islamabad for the probe into the January 2 attack at the Pathankot airbase in Punjab.

Asked about a meeting between the two foreign secretaries, Mr Basit had said: "There is no meeting scheduled for now. I think at present the peace process is suspended.

"India is not ready as yet," Mr Basit had said, but quickly added that "we can only resolve issues through dialogue".

"The investigation (into the Pathankot attack) is not about reciprocity," he had said.
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