Pakistan commerce minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who was scheduled to visit India later this month, has called off his visit.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim, however, said the cancellation of the visit had nothing to do with the tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours along the Line of Control. “It is due to my political engagements at home,” the Pakistan commerce minister said.
Mr Fahim was scheduled to visit India from January 27 to 29, on the invitation of his Indian counterpart, Mr Anand Sharma, to participate in the 19th Partnership Summit being organised by the Indian government.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman claimed India had violated the LoC and Pakistan has the right to defend itself. In a statement, he said the Kashmir issue cannot be resolved through war but through dialogue, and that it is the main hurdle in Pakistan-India relations.
Maulana Rehman said the world has different standards on Kashmir and the issue has been put on the backburner because of tension on Pakistan’s western border.