Govt lacks coherent Pak policy: Cong

As India called off the scheduled foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, Congress on Monday hit out at the Narendra Modi government for following an “incoherent” approach in dealing with the troublesome neighbour.

The opposition party lashed out at the government wondering whether it was not aware of Pakistan-sponsored terror acts in India when it decided to resume talks with Islamabad.

On the other hand, the BJP strongly backed the government decision and asserted that it would not tolerate any interference in its internal affairs by Pakistan.

The foreign secretary-level talks, scheduled for August 25, were called off on Monday with Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh bluntly telling Pakistan that meddling in India’s internal affairs by holding talks with Kashmiri separatists was “unacceptable”.

“The BJP welcomes the decision on cancellation of talks. Though India wants good relations with its neighbours, it will not tolerate any interference in its internal affairs by anyone,” BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma wanted the government to explain why talks with Pakistan were initiated when there was “no progress” from Islamabad in dealing with those fomenting terror acts in India.

“What prompted the Modi government to decide to hold talks when there was constant provocation from that side through constant ceasefire violations, giving clean chit to Hafiz Saeed, key accused in Mumbai terror strikes and so on,” Sharma asked.

He slammed the government’s policy towards Pakistan as “opaque and incoherent”.