India slams Pakistan for unilaterally stopping postal mail service

India lambasted Pakistan for unilaterally stopping postal mail service between the two nations, saying the move was in contravention of international norms. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Pakistan resorted to the move without giving any prior notice to India.

"Pakistan's decision is directly in contravention of international postal union norms. But Pakistan is Pakistan," Prasad, who is the Minister for Communications and IT, said on the sidelines of an event here. The minister added that Pakistan "without any prior notice or information has stopped sending the postal department's letter to India."

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Pakistan also levied a tax on pilgrims of $20 for devotees from the Sikh community visiting the Kartarpur Corridor from India, according to sources.  Disrespecting the religious sentiments, Pakistan has stooped to a new low by charging pilgrims. India and Pakistan had both agreed on visa-free travel to the Kartarpur Corridor. 

India had asked Pakistan to reconsider the decision on charging USD 20 per pilgrim and allow 10,000 pilgrims on special occasions and an Indian protocol officer to accompany the delegation that visits Kartarpur every day. Answering a question on former prime minister Manmohan Singh agreeing to join the first all-party delegation to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara after the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, Kumar said the MEA has a limited role to play in the inauguration ceremony on the Indian side.

PM Modi on Pakistan's water supply

Rally in Haryana on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about stopping the water supply to Pakistan. "The water that was supposed to go to the farmers of the country and the farmers of Haryana, kept going to Pakistan for 70 years," he said. PM Modi also assured the people that he will stop that water from going to Pakistan and will bring it to the households of the country. "I have started working in that direction, as India and the farmers of Haryana and Rajasthan have the right on the water," he added. 

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