Narendra Modi (R) talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as they shake hands during a meeting in New Delhi on May 27
Pakistan today reacted strongly to India's decision to cancel Foreign Secretary-level talks over its envoy's meeting with Kashmir separatist leaders, saying it was "not subservient" to New Delhi.
"Pakistan is not subservient to India. It is a sovereign country and a legitimate stakeholder in the Jammu and Kashmir dispute," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.
Arguing that Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit did not interfere in India's internal affairs, Ms Aslam said, "That is just a pretext. It was not the first time that meetings with Hurriyat leaders took place. It is been happening for decades."
Ms Aslam, who has previously served in India, asserted that "Kashmir is not part of India".
"It is a disputed territory. There are numerous UN resolutions," she said.
The remarks came after India called off talks between Foreign Secretaries of the two countries scheduled to be held in Islamabad on August 25 over its High Commissioner's meeting with Kashmiri separatist leaders. The government said that Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh had phoned the Pakistani High Commissioner to warn, "Either talk to separatists or talk to us."
Pakistan has justified its invitation to separatists, calling it a "long-standing practice to facilitate the resolution of the Kashmir dispute." The country's foreign office said, "The Indian decision is a setback to efforts by our leadership to promote good neighbourly relations with India."
The US called the development "unfortunate" and said what matters is that both the countries take steps to improve ties.