New Delhi: In the run-up to the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Summit in January in Islamabad, the war of words hotted up once again with New Delhi hitting back on caustic comments by Pakistan on the issue of its Foreign Minister's visit here.

"We are amused at the comments of the spokesman of the Pakistan Foreign Ministry arrogating to himself the untenable position of giving lessons in customs, tradition, practice and hospitality," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said when asked about Islamabad's sharp remarks.

"There is an old saying that you cannot fool all the people all the time. At this moment, Pakistan is only fooling itself," he said.

In the face of India reacting coldly to his plans, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri dropped his proposal to visit India to deliver the invitation for the SAARC Summit as a protest against "discourteous" remarks by External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha.

"The Indian Minister's remarks were not only discourteous but also reflected his utter contempt for South Asian cultural values, traditions of hospitality and established SAARC practice," the Pakistani spokesman said while referring to Sinha's remarks that Kasuri's visit was not strictly necessary.

The MEA spokesman said Sinha had pointed out that New Delhi had not received any specific proposal for Kasuri's visit.

PTI