Amid continuous curbs on movement, Kashmir’s pro-freedom leadership has been invited to attend a function by Islamabad’s high commissioner to India on Pakistan Day in New Delhi on Friday.
Besides chairmen of Hurriyat Conference factions – Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the Pakistani high commissioner has extended invitation to other pro-freedom leaders, including JKLF chief Yasin Malik, Prof Abdul Ghani Bhatt, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Bilal Ghani Lone and Nayeem Ahmad Khan.
The high commissioner has also invited several pro-freedom activists to join the function being hosted by him on March 22. “I have received invitation from Pak high commission but keeping in view the prevailing situation in valley, I would stay back in Srinagar,” Farooq was quoted as saying by a local news agency.
He, however, said that a delegation of his amalgam would be travelling to New Delhi to participate in the function. He said that the delegation would offer good wishes to people of Pakistan and express gratitude to the government of Pakistan for passing a resolution on Afzal Guru. He, however, made it clear that his decision of not going to New Delhi was not based on his home detention. “Whether I would be under house arrest or be allowed to move out, I won’t leave Srinagar in such situation,” he clarified.
Farooq, who is currently under house arrest, said it seems difficult for him to visit New Delhi at this juncture as situation is fragile in Kashmir. “I would prefer to stay with the people. We will be sending a delegation to New Delhi to attend the Pakistan day function,” he said.
Farooq said during the meeting between Hurriyat delegation and the Pakistani high commissioner on the sidelines of the function, the members from the amalgam would apprise the Pakistani leaders about the fallout of the post-Afzal execution in Kashmir.
“We will also urge the Pakistan high commissioner to re-double the efforts towards Kashmir resolution. Our delegations will also brief Pakistan leadership about the spurt in the human rights violations in Kashmir,” the Hurriyat (M) chairman said. “The Hurriyat members will also thank the Pakistan leaders for passing a resolution against Afzal’s hanging in Pakistan parliament.”
Almost all pro-freedom leaders are currently either confined to their houses amid restrictions or placed behind bars.
While Geelani, Farooq and Malik are under house arrest among other leaders, Shah and Khan are in jail.
Meanwhile it was unlikely that the government would lift the restriction on the leaders and allow them to travel to Delhi for the event.
Sources said the Pakistani HC would host dinner for the guests, including separatist leaders from the valley on March 22. However, the Hurriyat (M) leaders have decided to skip the banquet following the “spurt in human rights violation in the valley”.
Surprisingly, the Hurriyat led by Geelani has not received the formal invitation so far. “We haven’t received any invitation regarding Pakistan Day function in New Delhi,” Geelani said. “But I want to convey my message to the entire Pakistani leadership that it is high time to treat Kashmir as a core issue and to mobilise all channels within Pakistan and all other countries so that a pressure is build on India to hold plebiscite in Kashmir.”
The seasoned leader said it was a testing time for Pakistan as “India has crossed all limits of committing atrocities in Kashmir. Forces are not just on the killing spree, but barging into the residential houses and beating women folk as well”.
The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, led by Muhammad Yasin Malik, has not received the invitation yet. “We haven’t received any invitation from Pakistan High Commissioner,” said a JKLF spokesman.
However, JKLF-H Chairman Javaid Ahmed Mir has received the invitation. “I will go and cash in on the opportunity. I will try to meet the Pakistan High Commissioner separately and brief him about the prevailing situation in Kashmir. I will make a point that trade is not solution to the vexed Kashmir issue, but there is a need to show a more realistic approach on Kashmir by Pakistan,” Mir said.