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Pakistan foreign minister at anti-India events in UK: India says Qureshi visit reflective of 'personal ambition'

WION
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaWritten By: Sidhant SibalUpdated: Feb 05, 2019, 09:38 PM IST
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Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Photograph:(Reuters)

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The UK has said Qureshi's visit was a personal one. Indian government sources said Qureshi did not meet with UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt during his visit, which was 'very uncommon'. 

India has taken note of the anti-India events held in the United Kingdom on February 4 and 5 and in which Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had participated. 

Top Indian government sources, responding to WION's questions on a "Kashmir conference" held in the UK parliament and in which Qureshi participated, said, "Pakistan seems to be working on 2 Ks — Kashmir and Khalistan and Pakistan FM's London visit was reflective of his personal ambition and linkages with the deep state."

Another government source added that Qureshi's visit did not help "scale up the event" and that the event was largely a "damp squib" with the UK giving it a complete miss. 

The "Kashmir conference" was held in the committee room of the UK parliament. 

The official however added that there was no official participation of the UK government and not all members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir (APPG) had attended the meet. 
 
The UK has already clarified that Qureshi's visit was a private one. 

The Indian official highlighted that "it is very uncommon that the (Pakistani) FM visited and did not have a meet with UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt". 

India had strongly taken up the matter with London, and the official told WION: "UK understood our sensitivities." 

On an interesting note, the India DGMO (director general of military operations) was contacted by his Pakistani counterpart over the hotline on Tuesday evening, and informed about a rally at the LoC to mark what the Pakistanis call "Kashmir solidarity day".

The Pakistani DGMO informed the Indian side not to be surprised by it, to which the Indian DGMO replied that if any anything happens, "you will be responsible".
 

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Sidhant Sibal

Sidhant Sibal is the principal diplomatic correspondent for WION. When he is not working, you will find him playing with his dog.