Rajnath skips lunch hosted by Pak counterpart 

Islamabad: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday skipped a lunch hosted by his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan after the host himself left the venue.

Khan had organised the lunch for the visiting dignitaries, who were here to attend the 7th SAARC Interior/Home Ministers’ conference, and had scheduled it after the main meeting. However, the Pakistani Interior Minister left the venue immediately after the meeting got over despite being the host of the lunch.

Singh then took the decision to skip the lunch. The Home Minister later had his lunch at his hotel room along with the members of the accompanying Indian delegation. After the lunch, Singh left for India.

The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was also evident at the SAARC Interior/Home Ministers’ conference here when Singh came face-to-face with Khan for the first time on Thursday and the two leaders barely shook hands.

As Singh arrived at the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel here, Khan was at the gate to receive the dignitaries. The two leaders barely touched their hands, not even a formal handshake, before Singh moved ahead to enter the meeting hall.

PTI