Pak FM Qureshi postpones Japan visit amid simmering tensions with India

Islamabad, Feb 25: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has postponed his scheduled visit to Japan, amid tensions with India following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

Qureshi telephoned his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono and apprised him about the reason behind the postponement of his official visit to Tokyo. He said the situation in South Asian region, including Kashmir, is tense following the Pulwama attack.

He said in such a sensitive situation, it was important and inevitable for him to stay in the country, Radio Pakistan reported.

"I have written to the UN secretary general to play his role in easing tensions and also request Japan to play an active role to do the same," he said.

Both the foreign ministers agreed to reschedule the visit at the earliest. Last week, the Foreign Office announced that Qureshi will visit Japan from February 24-27 and meet his counterpart as well as the prime minister.

Forty Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed on February 14 when a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into their bus in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir.

PTI