"No immediate comment.... what can we say,” says MEA on Imran's love for Geelani" ::::: "It's early days....take Doha meeting just as a meeting"

 

"No immediate comment.... what can we say,” says MEA on Imran's love for Geelani

New Delhi: 

India on Thursday declined to comment anything immediately on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's declaring a day of official mourning on the death of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

“I don’t have an immediate comment on this. It is his (Imran Khan's) statement. They had given him ‘Nishan-e-Pakistan’, their wish, what can I say," said MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi at a media briefing. 

Geelani, 92, expired at his home in Srinagar on Wednesday night.

During the day, Imran Khan said, “The Pakistan flag will fly at half-mast and we will observe a day of official mourning". 

Of course, Pakistan's Prime Minister announcement makes it more clear that the so-called separatist movement always had the backing of Pakistan.

To a question on the resumption of air bubble with Bangladesh, the MEA spokesperson said talks are underway and proposals are being discussed.

Mr Bagchi also said the evacuation exercise from Afghanistan has remained halted since the past few days and would resume once the Kabul airport became operational.

“Currently Kabul airport is not operational. We will resume our operation to evacuate people from Kabul as soon as the airport service will resume,” he said.

Answering questions, he said it would be imperative to take Indian diplomat Deepak Mittal's

meeting with the Afghan representative at Doha on August 31 as 'just a meeting' and there

was no need for mere speculation.

"Let's take the Doha meeting for what it is;...it is just a meeting. These are still very early days," Mr Bagchi remarked.

ends 

"It's early days....take Doha meeting just as a meeting," says MEA

New Delhi: It would be imperative to take Indian diplomat Deepak Mittal's 
meeting with the Afghan representative at Doha as 'just a meeting' and there
may not be much merit in speculating about the future course, MEA spokesman
Arindam Bagchi said here on Thursday.

"Let's take the Doha meeting for what it is;...it is just a meeting. These are still very early days," Mr Bagchi told reporters at the weekly briefing.

Answering a volley of questions on whether New Delhi would 'recognise' the new incoming regime in Afghanistan or what is the 'road map' vis-a-vis India's relationship with the Taliban, he said: "Bina sochey toh kiya nahi hoga humney (Certainly, we have not done anything without any thinking)". 

"...Our primary concern is that the Afghan soil should not be used for terror and anti India activities, you saw that in our statement this is our focus," he said.

On the future road map, the spokesman said, "Let us see what things pan out".

On whether there are scopes or chances of future meetings with Taliban representatives, the MEA spokesman said, "I have no update to share and I don't want to speculate".

To a question, he confirmed no photo was taken of the meeting but such a decision was taken not out of any serious thinking.

Whether India still considers as 'a terror organisation', he said in the present context - "That's not our focus, the focus is that Afghanistan soil should not be used for terror activities" 

He said the government of India is still not aware of what kind of 'representative' government will be coming in Afghanistan. 

ends 

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