Stopping of Samjhauta Express unilateral decision by Pak, says MEA

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Article 370 Live News Updates: Addressing a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar said, "It is a unilateral decision, we never asked for it and we regret this decision by Pakistan which is intended to feed the narrative that the relation between India and Pakistan have reached an alarming state."

A day after Pakistan suspended the operation of Samjhauta Express between New Delhi and Attari, Ministry of External Affairs Friday called it a "unilateral decision" by the neighbouring country. Addressing a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar said, "It is a unilateral decision, we never asked for it and we regret this decision by Pakistan which is intended to feed the narrative that the relation between India and Pakistan have reached an alarming state."

Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI's D Raja were detained at the Srinagar airport on Friday, according to news agency PTI. "They showed us a legal order which did not allow any entry into Srinagar. It stated that even escorted movement int the city was not permitted due to security reasons. We are still trying to negotiate with them," Yechury told PTI over the phone. The Left leaders had written separate letters to J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik Thursday informing him of their visit to the state.

This comes a day after Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was barred from entering Jammu and Kashmir and sent back from the Srinagar airport. Azad had said that passengers at Srinagar airport told him that no one is allowed to go out of their homes and wondered if the government wanted to implement its decision by force.

(Inputs from The Indian Express)