Ministry of Home Affairs officials have said that Rajnath Singh’s upcoming trip to Pakistan will not be cancelled despite threats by separatist leaders, NDTV reported on Monday. According to an unnamed official, “the host country is responsible for the home minister's security.” The comments come at a time when Singh has been threatened by Jama’at-ud-Da’wah chief Hafiz Saeed, who said there would be nationwide protests in Pakistan if Singh attends the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ministerial conference planned for August 3 and 4.

On Sunday, Saeed had warned the Pakistan government against allowing the Indian Home Minister to visit, saying he had “deploying soldiers in Kashmir to shed the blood of innocents”. Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was referring to the ongoing unrest in Kashmir after government forces killed former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Saeed said it would be ironic if Pakistan welcomes Singh while also protesting against the situation in Kashmir.

According to The Times of India, current Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin has also asked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to suspend diplomatic ties with India.