NEW DELHI, India: The Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will not visit Pakistan this month to participate in the SAARC Finance Ministers Conference.
The two-day South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Finance Ministers Conference is scheduled to take place in Islamabad from August 25 to 26 for finding ways and means to accelerate process of regional cooperation for nonstarter South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).
Since Arun Jaitley decided not to attend the SAARC Finance Ministers Conference, the Indian Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das will represent India at the two-day event.
Earlier this month, the Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh also left Islamabad before the SAARC Interior Ministers Conference ended after the his Pakistani Counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan while addressing the Conference backed freedom movements in Indian-held Kashmir and stressed that legitimate freedom struggles should not be suppressed in the name of the fight against terrorism.
Meanwhile, the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that “going to Pakistan is the same as going to hell”.
“Pakistan mein jaana aur nark mein jaana eik hi hai,” Parrikar was quoted as saying by the Indian media on Tuesday while addressing a meeting in Rewari, a district in the Indian state of Haryana.
The Indian defense minister also said Pakistan was facing the consequences of its policy of encouraging terrorism.
