Top Indian diplomat likens Pakistan to 'one-trick pony'

Solo players in a multi-lateral context have no future, Akbaruddin says

As ties between Islamabad and New Delhi continue to fray, top Indian diplomat Syed Akbaruddin likened Pakistan to a "one-trick pony" on Sunday, Times of India reported.



Akbaruddin, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the comments while responding to a query on the possibility of Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue at the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly session . "If somebody (Pakistan) else would like to be a one-trick pony, it is for them to regurgitate an act which we have handled many times in the past and are confident we will do so again."

"Our contention is that the UN works best on multilateralism and multi-lateral platforms work best when nations work in partnerships. Single act plays have no resonance in such matters. Anybody can try to be a solo player. However, solo players in a multi-lateral context have no future."

Islamabad on Saturday expressed ‘deep disappointment’ over New Delhi calling off a planned meeting between foreign ministers of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York, Radio Pakistan reported.

FO Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said the development was an emblem of how India had once again squandered an opportunity for peace. Faisal said the reasons cited for cancellation were “entirely unconvincing”.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier said the meeting was called off after the “brutal killings of security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of twenty stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism”.

New Delhi squandered opportunity for peace once again: FO

Categorically rejecting the allegations, the FO said a joint investigation team could probe Indian claims. Faisal said the killing of a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier took place two days prior to India’s assent to the then-proposed ministerial meeting. The stamps were released before the 2018 general elections in July.

Indian television media company NDTV, however, quoted MEA sources claiming the planned meeting had been cancelled after "part of the Indian government realised talks with Pakistan could be politically damaging". India goes to the polls in 2019.