Won't chase India for peace talks: Pakistan's feeble defence after snub by India | Photo Credit: PTI

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi slammed India for ignoring Islamabad’s calls for a bilateral peace talks ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek on 13-14 June.

Qureshi said no meeting was scheduled between the leaders of the two nations on the margins of the two-day SCO summit.

"India still hasn’t gotten out of its election hangover. Indian authorities sought a permission of overflight for prime minister’s aircraft over Pakistani airspace and the same was approved by us," he said.

"However, despite the approval, the Indian prime minister’s aircraft took a longer air route avoiding Pakistani airspace."

"What does this show? This shows they are still locked in a certain thought process. Indian government hasn’t come out of its inaction. They won the election on a fundamentalist, populist basis. They’re still stuck in the same 'Hindutva' groove. They think moving ahead with Pakistan doesn’t fit well their constituency".

The government of India had explored two options for the route to be taken by the PM Narendra Modi's VVIP Aircraft to Bishkek. A decision was taken that the aircraft will fly via Oman, Iran and Central Asian countries on the way to Bishkek avoiding Pakistani airspace.

Pakistan had closed down its airspace completely after Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26. However, it later opened two routes of the total 11.

"Pakistan’s message to the world is clear that we’re a peace-loving nation and we want to live peacefully with our neighbours. But we’re not in a hurry either, we won’t run behind anyone," the Pakistani Foreign Minister said.

India, on Thursday, snubbed Pakistan at the SCO summit in Bishkek as the prime ministers of the two countries did not even exchange pleasantries at the event. Adhering to New Delhi's stated stand, PM Modi did not hold any meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on the sidelines of the event in Kyrgyzstan. Besides, India also told China that Pakistan needs to create an "atmosphere free from terror" and take action to end terrorism emanating from its soil.

India had extensive dialogues with Russsia and China at the margins of the trilateral summit on Thursday.



