Gautam Bambawale had taken a dig at Pakistan for interfering in the Kashmir issue.
Highlights
- Karachi event where Indian envoy Gautam Bambawale was to speak cancelled
- Pak canned the event last minute; the invite was accepted two weeks ago
- Mr Bambawale yesteday took a dig at Pak for interfering in Kashmir issue
India today summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit to protest the last minute cancellation of an event in Karachi, where India's envoy to Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale was supposed to speak.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned today to MEA and conveyed the concern of GOI by Secretary (West) on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner. He was also conveyed our hope that our accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions without hindrance".
In a snub, Karachi Chamber of Commerce yesterday cancelled an event where Mr Bambawale was supposed to speak apparently over his remarks yesterday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir.
Mr Bambawale, who is on his first visit to Karachi after assuming office in January this year, was told about the cancellation "just half an hour before the event, invite for which was received and accepted by him a couple of weeks ago", say sources.
The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation.
However, the Indian officials feel that Mr Bambawale's comments yesterday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir which was India's internal matter "rattled the Pakistani authorities here, prompting a cancellation".
On Monday, during a session organised by the Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, Mr Bambawale had taken a swipe at Pakistan over its interference in Kashmir, saying people living in glass houses should not be throwing stones at others.