Arun Jaitley may skip two-day conference of Saarc finance ministers

New Delhi: Finance minister Arun Jaitley is unlikely to visit Pakistan next week to attend the two-day conference of Saarc finance ministers which indicated the extent of strain in the relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Finance secretary Ashok Lavasa or some other senior bureaucrat from finance ministry may represent India at the meet. The conference is scheduled on August 25-26 in Islamabad.

“It is due to political reasons that the finance minister may not visit Pakistan. You all know what happened last time (during Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Islamabad earlier this month) and what is happening,” said sources.  

The development comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his I-Day address at Red Fort  brought up the issue of Pakistani atrocities on people of Baluchistan and PoK, saying that they have thanked him for doing so.

n Page 7: Pak accused of glorifying terror

Pakistan accused of glorifying terror
Pakistani authorities did not allow entry of Indian mediapersons, including those from PTI and Doordarshan, inside the venue of 7th SAARC Home Ministers Meeting in Islamabad.

“Keeping in mind the country’s prestige, I did what I should have done. I have no complaints. I had not gone there for lunch,” Rajnath had said.

That apart, in his Independence Day address to the nation on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India will not bow before terrorism, and also brought up Pakistani atrocities on people of Baluchistan and PoK, saying that they have thanked him for doing so.

Though Modi did not make any reference to Kashmir Valley which is witnessing violence after the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani, he accused Pakistan of glorifying terrorists and celebrating killings in India.

Pakistan’s Finance Ministry in a recent statement had said the country would play the role of a “good host” and try to keep the overall ambiance positive.