Pakistan

Kargil conflict: India refuses visa to Musharraf

Musharraf was seeking multi-city visa to attend seminar, Indian embassy feared he would hold political meeting.

Express December 02, 2010

NEW DELHI:

India has denied a visa to former president Pervez Musharraf on grounds that he was responsible for the Kargil conflict that nearly erupted into a war between the neighbours, media reports said on Wednesday.

An Indian home ministry official told AFP that Musharraf’s visa application had been denied, without elaborating on the reason. But he added that the foreign ministry could still overturn the decision.

Indian news agency IANS quoted officials as saying that New Delhi has refused a visa to Musharraf to attend a function in Delhi as it was ‘not convinced’ of the reason for the visit.

Musharraf had applied for a visa at the Indian High Commission in London at an invitation of the Indian chapter of an international group, Young Presidents’ Association.

According to Online news agency, the conference was scheduled to be held in Delhi on Saturday.

Official sources said the decision was taken by the home ministry, according to IANS.

“He wanted to visit several Indian cities and attend a few events but we have expressed our reservations on granting Musharraf a visa,” the official told AFP.

On November 26, Musharraf had told a Pakistani television channel that he had ‘solid evidence’ of India and Afghanistan creating unrest in Balochistan.

Officials said that this statement had been one of the reasons for the denial of visa.

Besides, India was alarmed when some supporters of Musharraf also applied for a visa to travel along with him, which seemed to be now more than just an invitation to deliver a speech.

Additionally, Online news agency said that the Indian government also did not want convergence of elements opposed to the present regime in Pakistan on Indian soil for their activities.

Almost a decade ago, Musharraf had visited India for the Agra summit and made two more visits in 2005 and 2009.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2010.

COMMENTS (57)

Mujtaba Lone | 13 years ago | Reply Well done India....

Nazir Habib | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf !!! no problem if India denied you a visa. You have not lost anything. The world over people carry grudges. If this is one of India's way of getting even, then so be it. You can participate in a tele conference with the sponsors. Whereas visiting various cities is concerned, call it off for a later date. Salams and best wishes.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Riaz Butt | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf was, Musharraf is, and Musharraf will remain hero of Pakistan. Musharraf - the man with courage, truth, honesty and sincerity to Pakistan. He was the only one to bring India on table on Kashmir issue. Indian rulers have no courage to face Musharraf as evident from refusal of his entry to India.

Hamood | 13 years ago | Reply To all Indians who are equating Kashmir with Balochistan, BALOCHISTAN IS NOT A DISPUTED TERRITORY BUT KASHMIR IS. India took the issue of Kashmir to the UN and got its tail blown off because the UN called for a plebiscite or referendum which sadly never took place. Why are all you Indians so obsessed with Pakistan and posting incorrect information on our forums?

Hamood | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf makes over a $100,000 per lecture elsewhere in the world. Going to India is useless, he is not making any money from there.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @Q, "No institution is destroyed. " --> A speeding car is fined because the damage it could have caused. Its Pakistan's luck that the Institution(I said Institution, not institutions, mind you) got back on its feet. Look at what has happened to other 2 pillars of state(Executive and Legislature) who haven't recovered from successive Military interventions. "Please first answer the war that was imposed on Pakistan in East Pakistan and Siachen.. and what about 1965??" --> Please read about '65 war from neutral sources. Pakistan was the aggressor with Operation Gibralter. No country would dare fight a war with another country when only 3 years ago it was in another war(Indo-China war of 1962). 1971 was a mixture of opportunism, a refugee crisis and achieving strategic objectives all combined into one big operation. The tipping point for India to free Bangladesh was Pakistan's aggression in 65. Pakistan tried to break India unsuccessfully but India was successful in breaking Pakistan into 2. If you want to imply that India is the aggressor all the time then I'd like to remind you or bring to your notice that India has offered a no-aggression pact which Pakistan has declined! I wonder why! http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/WikiLeaks-Pak-nixed-US-idea-of-no-aggression-pact-with-India/articleshow/7029792.cms So, its clear who wants war and who wants peace in the region. "An elected government took the first wrong step of dismissing him in a disgraceful manner." --> My answer is in your reply. ELECTED is the key word here. The government is free to take any decision but at the end is answerable to only the people. Dismissing an Army Chief who has foolishly imposed a war on 2 nuclear countries and lost it deserves to be booted out, dont you think? The government is within is right to take action against ANY senior Army Personnel it deems fit, atleast that is the norm in other civilized, democracies. In Pakistan, Army Chiefs have big ego so they must not be touched. "Absolutely wrong." --> http://redkazim.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/background-of-the-swat-peace-deal/ Ahmed Rashid, noted Journalist from Pakistan writes,"The Pakistani army, however, was promptly defeated and a vicious cycle ensued. After every setback, the army signed peace agreements with the Pakistani Taliban that allowed them to consolidate their grip on FATA. In 2007 the separate tribal militias, led by a variety of commanders, coalesced into the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or Movement of the Pakistani Taliban, led by the charismatic thirty-four-year-old Baitullah Mehsud from the tribal area of South Waziristan. A close ally of both al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban, he was later linked to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and to hundreds of suicide attacks in Pakistan. " http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2009/jun/11/pakistan-on-the-brink/?page=2 "Pakistan was on the path to growth and prosperity. " --> The average GDP growth rate of Pakistan between 2003 and 2006 is 5.76% which is lower than the 6% Pakistan has to grow considering its high population growth of 2.5+ %. All economies were growing well at that time and Musharaff hasn't done anything extraordinary. If he had then he wouldn't have been forced out by his own countrymen. http://www.indexmundi.com/pakistan/gdprealgrowth_rate.html Pakistan's rate of growth is much lower when you see that Pakistan's 2 neighbours were growing at 11% and 9+ %.

lp | 13 years ago | Reply iam sure its a conspiracy hatched by CIA, Mossad, RAW, IB, RSS, BJP, VHP, ABC, CNN, BBC etc

Old Monk | 13 years ago | Reply Poor Poor Mushy... He was just trying to escape the English weather and now he can't visit India nor Pakistan... Maybe he should try the Bahamas.

sundar | 13 years ago | Reply 'Should we talk of transgressions and human rights violations committed in Kashmir?' Sure, how about doing it togather with 'transgressions and human rights violations committed in' Baluchistan, persucusion & killing of minorities all over Pakistan, abuse of draconian blasphemy laws?

G. Din | 13 years ago | Reply @misk "If I were at his place i would now not accept the Indian visa even if India begged me." You don't seem to have much experience of visas. Visas are not granted with a RSVP request. You are not obliged to use it. Once given, no one bothers if it was accepted or whether the person used it to enter the country. No sulking will help. No baring your heart to show your hurt, either!

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf over through an elected government and ruled Pakistan without any accountability for close to a decade, has so much respect in Pakistan. During the last election, the entire Pakistan voted for the PPP and now they are in power. Now they ridicule their own choice. What type of country is Pakistan? Those who kick them get respect and those who are elected by them are ridiculed.

Q | 13 years ago | Reply Should we talk of transgressions and human rights violations committed in Kashmir? :)

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply India begging misk. Must be day dreaming

misk | 13 years ago | Reply If I were at his place i would now not accept the Indian visa even if India begged me. Afterall whatever happened is too humiliating.

sundar | 13 years ago | Reply hmm... I thought elected govt has the right to dismiss army chief. 'War imposed on Pakistan in East Pakistan' by India. wow. Probably you should talk to Bangladeshis to get an idea about the happening in 1971.

G. Din | 13 years ago | Reply @Mawalli "...India can do whatever its little heart (pun intended) desires." Where is the pun? "...the Indians are a little ticked about the facts Musharraf is bringing to the fore about India’s incessant intrusion and involvement in Pakistani affairs particularly Baluchistan." It is not the first time he or other Pakistanis have brought up the accusation. We take it in stride. Musharraf has no credibility. Remember how he had said that men involved in his Kargil fiasco were all indigenous Kashmiris? Well, now he owns to the fact that they were from Pakistan's ladakh scouts and infantry. He is a nobody and India need not bother about him. The self-described commando is hesitant to return to his own country Pakistan from his self-imposed exile. The fact is that he is a loose cannon. Remember how he conducted himself at Agra? He embarrassed his hosts, took centre stage as if he was the one who would have the last say, threw tantrums -"it is my way or we walk". His bluff was called and he rose up and walked away...and walked...and walked. No one stopped him. In his pique, he had to drop his visit to Ajmer Dargah, which was on his schedule and return to Pakistan with nothing to show for his trip. Visa is a privilege which, India averred, he did not deserve.

Q | 13 years ago | Reply @ Anoop. My responses against your points.. 1 - Agree. one needs to look into why it happened. 2 - No institution is destroyed. They are all functioning fine and as usual today. Had they been destroyed with that step, they would have been in a different shape today. 3 - Please first answer the war that was imposed on Pakistan in East Pakistan and Siachen.. and what about 1965?? 4 - An elected government took the first wrong step of dismissing him in a disgraceful manner. 5 - Absolutely wrong. 6 - Pakistan was on the path to growth and prosperity. You are downplaying by comparing just for the sake of it. @ Salman Hasan - thanks:) Hope your capability to make judgments improves over time too. :)

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @Q, I saw 4 of the links you posted but they dont prove I am wrong. The allegations are thus, 1) He destroyed the Constitution by amending it to suit his needs and the 18th amendment was aimed at rectifying that. So, 18th amendment proves this is correct ananlysis. 2) He sacked judges who were elected with due procedure and this is what I meant when I said he destroyed institutions. You can also add 9 years of Dictatorship to this claim. 3) He imposed the Kargil war, a completely unnecessary war, on 2 nuclear powers! Thus he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of soldiers on either side. 4) He set a dangerous precedent when he dismissed an elected government, thus endangering democracy again in Pakistan. 5) You talk of economic growth during his years but fail to notice that he is responsible for making shady deals with Militant groups and hence, allowing them to regroup. Example: Fazlullah, Sufi Mohammed, Baitullah Mehsud,etc. 6) Even though economic growth was highest during Mushraff years it was not extra-ordinary. The fastest growth that Pakistan registered was 6.6% which is much, much lower than 9-10% Pakistan's neighbors were registering during that time. If you consider the record aid that US gave to Musharaff this can be easily explained. But, from an Indian point of view I support Mushraff for one thing: He was partly responsible for all the movement made by the 2 countries on issues, especially Kashmir.

Salman Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply @Q You seem to have a very small brain. I'm really sorry, maybe it will grow over time.

Q | 13 years ago | Reply @Anoop Please follow these links to see who is saying what about the Ex-President. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-ntagP68Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j51sb8OxLY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPl_6cXHCs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0sSrbIx0Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0PMgJrE0dI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJmSxET-CA4&feature=related You appear to be an educated person. Therefore, you should definitely do some research and analyze what happened and why. @G. Din. You are right I should be stating some facts. I don't because a few lines won't help. For the sake of Pakistan, it is important that all Pakistanis understand facts and identify the right people. In order to understand PM's tenure better, one will have to go through the local reports such as the economic survey of Pakistan. Reports of global agencies are also available for reference.

Mawali | 13 years ago | Reply India can do whatever its little heart (pun intended) desires. This would not be the first time Musharraf was visiting India since he left office. Clearly, the Indians are a little ticked about the facts Musharraf is bringing to the fore about India’s incessant intrusion and involvement in Pakistani affairs particularly Baluchistan. For all Anoop supporters who are beside themselves and may I add full of it can read some of the recent Wikileak released documents. I really don't give if India denies visas to all Pakistani's as they in fact are now doing; it is within their rights as a sovereign nation of 1.1 billion. But, it seems a tad disingenuous when the pretext smacks of ignorance! Speaking of Indian ignorance it is equally disingenuous to post comments using Muslim names.

G. Din | 13 years ago | Reply @Q Your comment addressed to Anoop smacks of bullying. If your own research indicates that Anoop is wrong, shouldn't you have presented facts that prove him wrong. Or, being a Pakistani, you are so feudal superior that you need not bother but just pronounce? Get rid of the notion that you can hide your ignorance by striking up a smarter posture! You cannot fool people on this forum.

saleem | 13 years ago | Reply In the past 40 years Musharraf is the only Pakistani politician who handled and humbled the media and political pundits in India. The manner, authority and intelligence in which he responds to their questions not only shuts their mouths but also at times embarrassed the Indian Govt. No need to take anyone words. His last visit as the president of Pakistan to India (Agra press conference) and 2009 visit after presidency are all available on YouTube.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @Q, You say I should learn more about the situation but fail to point out the errors that I've made. All claims I've made is based on Media reports and accepted by all. I think you in love with the Ex-Dictator and intentionally overlooking the facts.

inderjit sahota | 13 years ago | Reply india visa to mush,pak denies visa to indian supporters of palsetine why?

Tony Singh | 13 years ago | Reply India is country run by Indian interests, not by KSA,US,PRC,UAE.....If our givt don't want him, what's the problem. How does Kashmir, Baluchistan, Tibet... and all this stuff figure in it? India may be least democratic, worst than China in terms of Human rights, but mind you it also shapes its own policies.unlike some in its neighbourhood where everyone except its people have a say in running the govt.

misk | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf has been denied Indian Visa. There is no lift from the once good friend US. He cannot come back to his own country without outside Sifarish..... Oh God Poor thing!

Q | 13 years ago | Reply Anoop - your comment and understanding is very mediocre. Do some research. It will help.

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply @Adi, I dont have to come to Pakistan to know that he imposed an unnecessary war on 2 nuclear powers, he came in as a soldier and retired as a millionaire general(I had no idea Generals in Pakistan get paid so much that you can buy real estate in London's posh localities), he amended the constitution and removed judges(destroying institutions and Constitution). If I am wrong in any one account do let me know. If he is so honest and good for Pakistan, why is he hiding in self-imposed exile?

Adi | 13 years ago | Reply @Anoop...you have absolutely wrong info about what happened in Pakistan during Musharraf's time...get the visa, come here and see how people remember and miss his days now. So think before you speak. Most of your comments about pakistan are based on lack of information which shows your calibre!

nasim ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply There is nothing wrong in declining visa as Musharraf is now only a former President of a neighbouring country.America has been denying visa to late Pres Yasir Arafat while he was President.

Kehkishan | 13 years ago | Reply Fear of the largest democracy of the world ???????????? they cannot bear a single man ..hahhaha

khan | 13 years ago | Reply denial visa to a person who at one stage was considered to be very anti Indian and who was about to wage a war against it. but it is past. if the Indians still consider him a person who might has a say in the policies of Pakistan than that can be a reason for the denial. but Musharraf still is a very influential person and he cannot be simply ignored.all his actions verbal and written are seen to be carrying weight.

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply Hamood "India is also a sovereign country that denies the right of self determination to people within its borders' No country within its borders allow right of self determination, at least not in democracy. Your idea of sovereign country is funny

syed majid ali shah | 13 years ago | Reply the former paki president mr. musharaf done very well in the past, he raised our economy, our GDP, our values, assets, he boomed the image of pakistan in the eyes of the whole globe. coming to the point, the refusal of visa by indian officials is a bad actvity. the former president is now adays a need of pakistan. i can only pray that Allah pak plz get us rid of that fake people(who are nowadays in the attire of the legacy). ameen

User | 13 years ago | Reply Indians policy are not changed because of USA, KSA, China, etc, Pakistan live it life on begging, so USA, UK, KSA, and china dictate Pakistan internal and foreign matters. Grow up first to stand in order, do not beg.

Malik Tabeer | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf is real brave Man I would say it Win win situation for Musharraf

Rajiv | 13 years ago | Reply @Hamood, But Thousand times better than yours i guess.....

Khawer | 13 years ago | Reply India is afraid of Musharraf - because he speaks truth. He not a hypocrite, but a brave and true leader of Pakistan. Geo Musharraf.

bary | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is an "ideological miscalculation".

Q | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf is a great leader. His last visit to India was exemplary. The world saw how he took on Indian intelligentsia. He is indeed a brave leader. Long Live PM

umer bilal Apml | 13 years ago | Reply yup it must be that Indian foreign ministry due to some of their inner sensitivities must have denied Sir Musharaf the Indian visa. but its not that much simple means last time when musharaf after resignation went to India 4 delivering a lecture, that realy affected the view of Indians and left the august gathering spell bound. in the way Musharaf veiled off the local indian terrorism sprouting in there waved off their blame against pakistan of being behind the Bombay attack and that sania Gujrat...... he justified that in this south east region its not only pakistan and Afghanistan victim of terrorism r problematic but its also India, by quoting "India Today" one of their prestegious magzines,,,, that in 2008 there took place 8 terrorist attacks in India. out of which 6 were carried out by the Indian local terrorists. so he in countering the attempt of India, tarnishing the image of Pakistan by placing the whole responsibility of terrorism in the region affirmed that if they were to fight terrorism in all encompassing manners in the region, so they have to take all the three boards: India, pakistan, and Afghanistan into consideration. so nw would the Indian govt ever want such man to be in there in India and show them their real worth and present the strong image of pakistan. ( had Musharaf been wrong doer and guilty, so he would never have been so courageous and bold to come in public in the enemy country India)

Hamza Malik | 13 years ago | Reply @ Ronit: You're not letting Kashmir part away either. Hypocrisy or double standards at work here my friend?

Ronit | 13 years ago | Reply @hamood Pakistan is a country which was meant for muslims to live freely without any oppression...yet it doesn't allow Balochistan to part away...not really a country for freedom of muslims, right????

Dr shashi kant | 13 years ago | Reply Musharraf born in purani delhi, India. India will welcome to her but he is a ex armyman of pakistan, not a elected leader of pakistan. Personaly i like musharraf, he is a very strong leader of indian subcontinant after indira gandhi....But i think if he want, India-Pakistan make a friendly relation. Finally, we indians love to pakistani people but pakistani ISI, Pakistani army And pakistani govt. fulltime work for against of india. Why. Pakistan is a younger brother of india. I love india, I love pakistan.THnax.

Faraz | 13 years ago | Reply Who cares about Mush

Hamood | 13 years ago | Reply @Anonymous, India is also a sovereign country that denies the right of self determination to people within its borders and holds rigged elections there for face saving (read: Kashmir). Not a great democracy as you so claim.

Khurram | 13 years ago | Reply he is now a has been with no political future or power except his mile long ego and the Indian Home Ministry more likely has seen this as an opportune moment to tacitly convey this message to him. Now if I may correct, he was born in Old Delhi (not New Delhi) in 1943 before the partition of India (not SubContinent) the very term subcontinent is the invention of guilt- ridden Two-Nation theorists, coining of such terms only shows an inhererent weakness in our characters indvidually and as a group to accept the truth. Now coming to Kargli conflict of Summer 1999 there were no militants but the regular units of Northern Light Infantry which were inducted across the Line of Control.

Raheel | 13 years ago | Reply @anonymous if you are suggesting sovereignty of India is reassured merely by refusing visa entry to Mush then i think he is GRAND...by the way i think it neither prove or disapprove....it would have been interesting if American wanted Mush to come back to power and then India refusing him the Visa ............that surely would have reasserted a strong statement....

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply UK denied visa to Zakir Naik and US denied Visa to Narendra Modi. So both are intolerant countries too? Musharaff who allegedly plundered a neighboring country for 9 years, destroyed its institutions and imposed a war on 2 countries which were nuclear powers is right. He has lost his significance and can only cause trouble. If he goes back to Pakistan and is not arrested then it can be considered as an utter failure of the nation to arrest a man who has treated Constitution and State institutions as his personal property.

Faisal | 13 years ago | Reply Its a conspiracy by RAW, CIA and MOSSAD to make him look bad...its an action against Ummah!!

skm | 13 years ago | Reply Mushy should visit his own country first instead of visiting INDIA

Suleman Kazi | 13 years ago | Reply He deserves this. Good job India. Its high time we should understand that we have to move on and not be India centric. India is at least 50 years ahead than us economically because its policies is not pakistani centric. They are a developed nation now and even America cannot stay without India as its companies gain profit dealing with India. We are still in the blackhole and our governments supporting terrorists.. We don't even have guts to take action against 26/11 culprits who we know for sure are from our own country.

User | 13 years ago | Reply india is a sovereign country. It is not governed by USA. Elections are not rigged and foreign country do not broker deal between political party for third country exit. It is a good kick in his ass for things he has done in past for India.

khalid.aziz | 13 years ago | Reply Well done India-

shaukat ali | 13 years ago | Reply India never showed the guts to digest any criticism on it. I am not surprised. In my opinion, this visa denial also falls into catagory of Hindu extremism act.

Yasser | 13 years ago | Reply Recently in interview with express 24/7 Musharraf said India is behind Balochistan unrest, that might be the reason, that's so naive from India's point of view if this is the reason.

Replying to X