Controversy over Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's conversation with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.
Even as Pakistan has been trying to rake up Kashmir issues globally, the country now finds itself sparring over with the Maldives over statements made Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's conversation with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.
Qureshi had spoken to Foreign Minister on Friday during which Male had made it clear that abrogation of Article 370 was India's internal matter.
A statement from Maldives foreign ministry said, "Minister Shahid stated that the Maldives viewed the decision taken by India regarding Article 370 of the Indian Constitution as an internal matter."
This has been denied by the Pakistani foreign minister Qureshi during a press conference in Islamabad.
In a direct question by WION during the press conference on the Maldives calling the removal of special status for Jammu and Kashmir an internal decision of India, Pakistani foreign minister said, "During my conversation with Maldives FM, there was no mention or talk about this."
The Maldives foreign ministry immediately reacted and said, "MOFA statement following the telephone conversation is very clear on our position."
The development comes even as Sri Lankan President's office came out with a statement after Pakistan high commission had wrongly attributed a statement on President Maithripala Sirisena and the Pakistani high commissioner's meet.
The Pakistani high commissioner to Sri Lanka on Tuesday met President at the request of the former to brief him of India's internal decision of 5th August.
A statement issued by Pakistan high commission in Colombo said President Sirisena "offered Sri Lanka's mediation and facilitation of dialogue between Pakistan and India to reactive the SAARC forum."
This was contradicted by Sri Lankan President's office, who said, "President stated that both India and Pakistan have excellent friendly relations with Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka's interest is to see the growth of regional cooperation and friendship"
Adding, " The president did not make any other comment on the issues pertaining to India and Pakistan"
India's neighbours in the region have backed New Delhi on its 5th August decision to repeal special status for Jammu and Kashmir. While Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have called it an internal decision, Nepal and Afghanistan have called it a bilateral issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.
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