New Delhi: The Indian government on Sunday strongly rebuffled Pakistan's offer to supply relief aid for people in Jammu and Kashmir in view of ongoing unrest in the Valley and called the move as rather 'absurd'.
"A communication was apparently delivered to our High Commission in Islamabad on August 12. I can only characterise its contents that purpose of sending supplies to Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir as absurd," Vikas Swarup, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, said.
"India and others in the region have already received enough of Pakistan’s trademark exports - international terrorism, cross border infiltrators, weapons, narcotics and fake currency. We completely and categorically reject this purported communication from the Pakistan foreign Ministry," the Ministry spokesperson added further.
Prior to this, a Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) caravan led by Talha Saeed, the son of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, had offered to provide relief aid to violence-hit people in Kashmiri, that was also turned down by the Indian government.
Pakistan and India have been at loggerheads over the recent unrest in Kashmir.
The two sides exchanged barbs at SAARC security summit in Islamabad when Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Pakistan on Thursday.
Earlier today, Pakistan made a provocative remarks while celebrating its Independence Day and said the country is dedicating its Independence Day to Kashmir's 'freedom' and will continue to extend full diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of the state.
The comments by Pakistani High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit came during the country's Independence Day celebrations at its embassy here.
Basit's comments came on a day when Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The ceasefire on the Line of Control was violated again after a lull of over four months with Pakistan Army firing at two places and shelling mortars in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir today.
Indian troops retaliated to the firing which was still going on when last reports came in.
On Saturday, India had virtually turned down Pakistan's offer for a dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir seeking an end to Pak-supported cross-border terrorism.
India had made it clear that it would talk on 'contemporary and relevant' issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism
"India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali.
"Incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said.
