Geelani says no to Pak’s ‘hidden agenda’
invite
Syed Ali Shah
Geelani’s much awaited response to the invitation from the Government of
Pakistan came today without many surprises. The veteran leader has turned down
the invitation, sensing the need “to stay away from the Country’s domestic
politics” and that “hidden agenda” behind the invitation is to project Kashmir
as an economic issue. The decision was made after Majlis-e-Shoora of Hurriyat
Conference (G), on the second day of its meeting, discussed threadbare all
dimensions of the invitation. The meeting was presided over by Geelani himself
as Chairman of the Hurriyat (G) conglomerate.
“A policy has been started to
project Kashmir as an economic issue rather than a political one, and to
achieve the goal a draft was prepared for changing priorities of Kashmiri
people. Accordingly, the Kashmiris are being told that discussion on cross
border trade, and not on Kashmir issue, is timely, and that people of Kashmir
are economically well-off than common people of Indian or Pakistan,” the
Majlis-e-Shoora observed, according to the Hurriyat (G) spokesman, Ayaz Akbar.
“The
Hurriyat (G) believes that prioritising trade of onions and potatoes over talks
on killings and human rights violations in Kashmir is immoral and equivalent to
disrespecting Kashmiri people and their countless sacrifices. Those eager to
change the priorities of Kashmiris and sideline the political and humanistic
dimensions of the Kashmir issue see our Pakistan visit in this very context,
and through this visit they want to gain acceptance to their hidden agenda,”
the Majlis-e-Shoora observed.
All
prominent separatists have been invited by Pakistan for a five-day visit from
December 17 to 23, two years after Geelani’s refusal had lead to cancellation
of a similar invite in 2010. The separatists are likely to discuss Kashmir with
the country’s administrators at Islamabad. The Majlis-e-Shoora did not find any
need for urgency to visit Pakistan, believing that the leadership should stay
in Kashmir and pursue its goal instead of visiting the Country for fun, photo
scissions or publicity. It also observed that involving in domestic politics of
Pakistan without caring for the sacrifices of people in Kashmir does not suit
the leadership.
“The
Hurriyat (G) is not against the dialogue on Kashmir, but at present we do not
see any need for an urgent visit to Pakistan. At a time common people are
suffering, the leadership shall stay home and pursue its unchanged goal instead
of going to Pakistan for fun, photo sessions or publicity,” the members
observed. “The Pakistan is about to go to polls and at such a time no
government can take serious decisions. The Hurriyat (G) does not want to get
involved or play any kind of role in domestic politics of Pakistan,” they
observed. Reiterating its four point demand to prepare ground for talks, the
conglomerate said it would reject any readymade solution to the Kashmir issue. “The
Hurriyat (G) is not against good Indo-Pak trade relations, but we cannot allow
the relations to grow at the cost of our blood,” the members warned.
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