Abdul Basit summoned for Pakistan’s discourtesy

NEW DELHI: Pakistani High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit was summoned on Wednesday to the Ministry of External Affairs and conveyed Delhi’s concern on discourtesy to Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale in Karachi.

The protest was lodged by Secretary (West) MEA Sujata Meheta in absence of Foreign Secretary, who is in Laos with PM Narendra Modi.

Basit was also conveyed Delhi's hope that Indian accredited diplomats in Pakistan will be allowed to discharge their normal functions wIthout hindrance, according to MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup. The Karachi Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday cancelled an event of Bambawale at the last minute apparently over his remarks on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir.

Bambawale, who is on his first visit to Karachi after assuming charge 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", sources said.

The organisers did not give a reason immediately for the cancellation. However, the Indian officials feel that Bambawale's comments on Monday on Pakistan's interference in Kashmir "rattled the Pakistani authorities here, prompting a cancellation".

"This is very disrespectful on the part of the organisers," officials asserted.During an interactive session organised by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations, 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.

"There are problems in both India and Pakistan and you (Pakistan) should focus on resolving your problems before looking into the problems of other countries," he had said.