NEW DELHI: Pakistans High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Monday met Hurriyat (G) leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in a redux of last years event that led to the cancellation of secretary-level talks between the two countries.
The meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, took place at Geelanis Malvia Nagar residence in New Delhi.
The meeting which is likely to stir new protests by Delhi came a week after India sent its foreign secretary to Pakistan to resume stalled talks.
Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar visited Pakistan following cancellation of talks earlier following Hurriayt meeting with Pakistani officials.
The meeting also took place in the backdrop of uproar in the parliament over the release of Masarat Alam, a confidant of Geelani by the Mufti Sayeed led government.
Confirming the meeting with Basit and Deputy high commissioner Mansoor Ahmad Geelani said over phone from New Delhi that he held a detailed discussion with the diplomats
Geelani said that he urged Pakistan not to dilute its stand on Kashmir and that new government in Jammu and Kashmir would in no way affect the Kashmir cause.
While hailing the role of Pakistan in providing what the Hurriyat (G) chairman termed moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmir cause, Geelani said that he thanked Pakistan for its overall support to the oppressed people of Kashmir.
Taking a jibe at former Pakistan President Parvez Musharaf, Geelani claimed that the four point formula flouted by the military dictator damaged the Kashmir cause and that same must be rejected by the Pakistan as it is only the right to self determination which can resolve Kashmir once for all. Any other solution other that right to self determination is unacceptable for the people of Kashmir and Pakistan must not surrender its stand on Kashmir rather it should play a vital role on international foras so that India could pave way for the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir, Geelani said.
While commenting over the formation of the new government in Jammu and Kashmir, the senior separatist leader maintained that same cannot affect the veracity of the Kashmir issue. All governments for us are same. There is no difference at all. The successive regimes can in no way affect our movement, Geelani said.
However, the octogenarian leader said that the PDP-BJP bonhomie has been set by RSS which has its plans to change the demography of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. They are hell bent to change the Muslim majority into a minority one. The cause of concern is that earlier the Muslim population of the state was 81 percent which now has squeezed to mere 68 percent. The new government want s to accord state citizen ship to the west Pak refugees in a bid t balance the vote share. We will never allow this to happen, Geelani said while claiming that the Pak high commissioner gave patient hearing to his views and assured the Huriyat (G) chairman of Pakistans support to Kashmir cause.
VHP Demands Geelanis Arrest
Allahabad: Terming the meeting between Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit at New Delhi as “an insult to India”, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded his arrest.
“The meeting (between Geelani and Basit) has come at a time when Parliament is in session and, more importantly, when high-level talks have resumed between India and Pakistan.
“The action of the Kashmiri separatist leader is obviously an insult to India. He should be arrested and tried for sedition,” VHP international working president Praveen Togadia said in a statement issued on Monday.
The VHP leader’s statement comes a day after his outbursts against the newly-appointed Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, over the release of separatist leader Masarat Alam from jail.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |