Delhi

No sweets were exchanged on Thursday between Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and Pakistani Rangers at Attari-Wagah border on the occasion of Pakistan Independence Day.

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The relationship between India and Pakistan has further strained after the scrapping of Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The exchange of sweets between the two forces is a usual trend on special occasions, such as Eid, Diwali and on nationally important days like Independence Day and Republic Day.  

On Monday, BSF personnel were willing to exchange sweets with their Pakistani counterparts on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha but Pakistani Rangers did not revert in this regard. 

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Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that this year Pakistan will celebrate its Independence Day to express solidarity with Kashmiri people.

Centre last week abolished Article 370 and moved a separate bill to bifurcate the state into two separate union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

In the wake of scrapping of Article 370 which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties and snapped bilateral trade with India, besides suspending Samjhauta and Thar Express.

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Meanwhile, calling its steps in Jammu and Kashmir an 'entirely internal affair', India has rejected Pakistan's unilateral move to downgrade diplomatic ties and asked Islamabad to review the decision so that normal channels for diplomatic communications are preserved. 

(With inputs from agencies)