India wasted a serious opportunity again, we had no role in killing of BSF jawan: Pakistan

Pakistan has said that it is “deeply disappointed” with India’s decision to cancel Foreign Minister talks. Releasing a statement in this regard, Islamabad has said that the reasons cited by New Delhi are “entirely unconvincing”, adding that the Pakistan military had no role in recent killing of Border Security Force (BSF) jawan.

“The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the Foreign Ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing. The so-called "disturbing developments" alluded to in the Indian statement predated the Indian agreement to hold the bilateral meeting in New York,” read the statement released by the Pakistan government.

Pointing that the BSF soldier was killed two days before India announced that the talks would be held on the sidelines of UNGA in New York, Pakistan claimed that its rangers had conveyed it to the BSF formally that the country's military "had nothing to do with it".

The statement further read, “Pakistan Rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier's body. These facts were known to the Indian authorities and a part of the Indian media also reported that Pakistan had refuted its involvement. Yet, this motivated and malicious propaganda continued. Pakistan takes this opportunity to categorically reject these allegations once again. Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth.”

Pakistan also accused India of “Falsely raising the canard of terrorism”. “India can neither hide its unspeakable crimes against the Kashmiri people nor can it delegitimise their indigenous struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination,” said the statement.

According to Pakistan, India has once again wasted a serious opportunity to change the dynamics of the bilateral relationship and put the region on the path of peace and development.

The statement also points that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, speaking for the first time after assuming office, had said that the country would take two steps if India took one. It further reads, “Prime Minister Imran Khan in his reply letter endorsed Prime Minister Modi’s call for "constructive engagement" and proposed the meeting of the two Foreign Ministers in New York to discuss a way forward on bilateral and SAARC-related matters.”