TEHRAN, August 8 - India on Thursday urged Pakistan to review its decision to downgrade diplomatic ties over the withdrawal of special status to Kashmir, saying it was an internal affair and aimed at developing the Muslim majority region.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government revoked the territory’s special privileges to frame its own laws and lifted a ban on people from outside the region to buy property there in a bid to tighten its grip.
Pakistan, which also has claims on Kashmir, said it would expel India’s ambassador in Islamabad and its envoy, who was to start his assignment soon, would not move to New Delhi.
Islamabad also suspended bilateral trade and on Thursday announced it would shut down the train service to India, in the latest spike in tensions between the nuclear rivals.
“The Government of India regrets the steps announced by Pakistan yesterday and would urge that country to review them so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved,” India’s foreign ministry said, striking a conciliatory tone.
Within Kashmir, authorities kept a communications blackout with mobile networks and internet services suspended since Sunday and detaining at least 300 politicians and separatists to quell protests, according to police, media and local leaders.
Source: Reuters
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