Pakistan envoy's Chandigarh visit cancelled

Following terrorist attacks in Gurdaspur, the Central government on Tuesday barred two Pakistani diplomats from visiting Chandigarh along with their high commissioner Abdul Basit. A Pakistan high commission spokesman said that following delay in permission from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and refusing permission to the accompanying officials, Basit decided to cancel his visit to Chandigarh, where he was supposed to call on the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana.

"It is unfortunate that the high commissioner had to cancel his visit to Chandigarh," said the spokesman of Pakistan high commission. He said the MEA had given its approval to the Basit's visit as late as 3 pm, but held the approval to the visit of his accompanying officers. "This is most regrettable," the spokesman added. The high commissioner besides calling on the chief minister was supposed to address at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), an autonomous research institute, promoting social science research in India. He was also supposed to address students at the Punjab University and interact with business leaders and address mediapersons at the Press Club.