SRINAGAR:
Chief of the hardline faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday said the Kashmiri-American arrested in the US on suspicion of being a Pakistani agent is a victim of a diplomatic conspiracy, The Associated Press reported.
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai of the Kashmiri American Council has been charged of being an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The US Justice Department says he donated millions to a Washington nonprofit in a secret lobbying effort led by the Pakistani intelligence to influence US policy on disputed Kashmir.
Geelani insisted Fai was innocent and called the allegation the “result of India’s diplomatic efforts and conspiratorial plans.”
“Fai has been active for last 32 years highlighting the plight of his people,” Geelani said. “Because of his unflinching advocacy of the Kashmir cause at the international level, he had become an eyesore for India.”
The Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front also condemned the US charge as going against the democratic path of nonviolence Fai advocated.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2011.
COMMENTS (18)
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If Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai's only crime was fighting for the right of self-determination of Kashmiris, then its a crime everyone should commit, and that too again and again.
We Pakistanis will keep committing this 'crime' until Kashmiris' attain their cherished freedom.
@let there be peace:
You expound: "all terrorists claim they are not terrorists"
Thus that make you a terrorist?
@hamza: Dear Hamza. You are the true Mascot of Pakistan. I am sure many on this site, including me, would like to know how you look!!!!!
@hamza: not even a single Pakistani was involved in 9/11 What citizenship did the architect of 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had? Where was he captured? We are not a terrorist state; all terrorists claim they are not terrorists. I agree Pakistan is economically much better than people in rest of the world imagine. But Hitler's Germany was one of the most prosperous and technologically advanced country of that time.
APHC is no longer a potent force in Kashmir Valley. During recent Panchayat elections, despite boycott call made to people not to vote, more than 80% participated in the same. Kashmiris are more interested in making progress and improving their well-being rather than participating in Bandh calls which adversely effect them due to loss of earnings since more tourists prefer to visit only when peace prevails in the Valley.
@hamza: nice try!
@hamza Can you please enumerate, for clarity, what you think the failures of Pakistan have been? Just so we know what it is that you don't blame on the oh-so-convenient external forces?
The truth of the matter is USA has so much dirt on Pakistan that it can completely discredit Pakistan in world community. And they are doing so because Pakistan is trying to act up against its aims.
The right response from Pakistan would be to clean up their act, demonstrate to the world their sincerity on becoming a responsible player, and gain trust of world community, thus they are no longer dictated by only USA.
Wrong response is to get in to more dirty games, making them even more vulnerable to USA, which has considerable clout among world community.
Choice really is with Pakistan.
The concerns and issues raised by Gilani and JKLF are unrelated to the charge. They do not have a problem with the fact that he was lobbying for the Kashmir cause. Lobbying is legal in US. What is illegal is the fact that he hid the source of his funding i.e. ISI. A foreign governments lobbyist musty be registered as such. This was not the case with Fai who hid his funding from ISI.
The comment doesnt pertain to this Amercian-Kashmiri issue! I am regular visitor of this site and have seen many foreigners here blaming Pakistan for everything, so i wanted to comment!
With due respect to my Indian & non-Pakistani friends, hear me out on a few things. Opinion first; It seems like whatever wrong happens in this world, only one country is made the scape goat ie Pakistan. We are not the only country with an intelligence agency, but i guess the only one to blame. Every country fights for its agenda and soveregnty, but if Pakistan does, its unacceptable. Hypocracy!!
Now some facts; we are not a failure, especially to all those who percieve us to be. e.g. depsite the war which is not ours & geo-political instability, an average Pakistani makes a similar income to Indian counter part. On top, less income disparity and lower poverty rate. We are not a terrorist state; not even a single Pakistani was involved in 9/11, yet this world has made their 9/11 our 24/7. Go after the arabs, who were behind these attacks. Now the bitter truth; Insurgency in tribal areas in Pakistan is being partly funded by external forces. These militants were let free by the same allied forces who could have caught them in tora bora (afghanistan), but instead, they were forced into our tribal areas. Even the Afghanistan govt now behaves as if Pakistan is to blame for everything but ppl seem to always forget that Al-Qaeda is Arab/afghans and taliban are Afghans.
No country has sufferred more in economic, social, cultural & ideological terms than Pakistan and the sad thing is that due to wrong doings of others. This in no way means that we are not to blame for our own failures. These failures are endogenous and are common is every developing country in this world. However in a global contest, its unfair to blame us for the mistake of others.
why does he use the name "Geelani" and still claim to be kashmiri (part of Indian civilization)? doesn't that come from Gilan province of Iran?
If Kashmir’s struggle is indigenous, what was the need of external funding for such movements? How such funding has helped in last 63 years? The life of Kashmiri people would have been much better if India and Pakistan instead of fighting wars, would have spent this amount for well being of the people of IHK and PHK. To begin with, please let the people have trade, cultural, excursion and social connections across the lines we have drawn 63 years back. Whether, it is border or LOC.
One more turn to tighten the screw on Pakistan.
When will pakistan learn to take responsibilities?? Pakistan should behave like a grown up.. Not just waste its time and resource in blaming others for all its failures..
Pak has been arm twisting US by arresting some of their sympathisers.
US is paying Pak in the same coin. You will be seeing more such orchestrated, covert attacks on Pak in the coming days.
If you play with fire, you should be prepared for a few burns.
If India made this happen, then I am proud of it.
They're not disagreeing with his struggle for Kashmiri rights or his lobbying. Alleged, needs to be underlined, in addition to the fact that one needs to register in order to lobby. That's all. Hoopla over not much.
Yes. Blame India. But also include Israel, Mossad, USA, CIA.