Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s speech in SAARC meet at Islamabad, delivered forceful messages on terrorism. Local media and Indian crews were not permitted to film it. “In no circumstances should terrorists be eulogised as martyrs” the Home Minister said, challenging Pakistan for lionizing Wani and calling protest marches against his killing. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has repeatedly expressed his regret about Wani’s death.

Last month, after the killing of Hizbul’s poster boy Burwan Wani, Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris and termed Wani as a martyr of independence movement.

The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident at the SAARC Interior/Home Ministers’ conference when Home Minister Rajnath Singh came face- to-face with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time and the two leaders barely shook hands.

Meanwhile, Sharif reaffirmed that his country remains committed to jointly working with all SAARC member countries in fighting terrorism. He did not, however, mention Kashmir during his address.

“This is the Pakistan model of democracy,” retorted union minister Venkaiah Naidu in Delhi, where the Home Minister returned this evening from a tense two-day visit next door replete with rebuffs from Pakistan.