Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit has invited leaders from the disputed Kashmir state ‘for consultations’ in the Indian capital ahead of the foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries on August 25 in Islamabad.
“All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been invited by the Pakistan High Commission for consultations in Delhi on August 19,” an APHC spokesperson told the Press Trust of India on Sunday.
Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Shabir Ahmad Shah, who last year floated the third faction of the amalgam of political and religious parties of Indian Kashmir, have also been invited by the Pakistan high commissioner.
However, pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik has not been invited. “We have not received any communication from the Pakistan High Commission,” a spokesman of the JKLF said.
Pakistani envoys have in the past talked to Kashmiri leaders before any major diplomatic initiative with India.
However, Islamabad broke off from this tradition when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited India to attend the swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May this year.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th,2014.
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@Haider: Does two nation theory" hold water? Explain in terms of East Pakistan and now Bangladesh. Infact now Pakistan should propose "multi nation" theory for Pakistan. Do only Muslims have rights? How about the rights of people whose forefathers lived in what is now land occupied by people of "Arab Descent" (That's how you Pakistanis define yourselves as). Now is the time to put money where your mouth is. Move out to Arab lands.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri:
"Great work for all Kashmiri freedom fighters. We Kashmiris want freedom and justice. If India cannot provide it, we will turn to our traditional allies in Pakistan and the Muslim world."
The whole of Indian Muslims including Kashmiris did indeed get their "freedom and justice" in 1947. It is called Pakistan. Anyone who is not being an Indian is free to move to the Islamic paradise Pakistan that was carved out for them. I am sure you will be in favor of giving your fellow Muslims refugee, right?
Talking about it you might first start with allowing in the 400,000 Pakistani Beharis rotting in Bangladesh refugee camps for 35+ years. Also, give freedom and justice to the Baloch first. Don't forget freedom and justice to the Shia and Ahmadis who are being butchered every day in Pakistan.
ET: please allow response to a hateful post.
@Akhtar Baloch: Ummm...India has 200 million Muslims , so are you saying they hate themselves? Anyway, Muslims are flourishing in India. From 30 million at the time of indepmdence yo 200 million now. They have reached the top in every field be it President, CJ, CEC, cricket captain, top industrialist, taop actors/actresses/singers..
On the other hand in Pakistan non -Muslims are being systematically wiped out. Minor Non-Muslim hirls are kidnappped , raped and forcibly converted by thousands each year, Hindu temples are regularly being burnt or destroyed, anti-Hindu stuff is taught in schools and you make such sweeping statements about India?
Yes, indeed there are a few extreme and bigoted people in India as everywhere but their crimes cause outrage, they are widely reported by media and the people get punished. Quite different from the institutionalised rape, loot and pillaging onf non-Muslims in Pakistan.
The religious extremism and hatred against all Muslims in India is very distressing. How can a small little human being be filled with so much hate? Indians, explain.
@Haider: Tibet and Xingjian has more Han population than the original Tibetans and turkic muslims.does that alter the landscpe and so it is now chinese and if so why are they fighting agianst China which China will ruthlessly supress.In china there is no scope for discussions on such issues.Comply or be killed.So what is wrong if India says they are our ancestral lands?
Do not Pakistanis consider themselves as of Arab descent. Now how about vacating whole of Pakistan and going back to Arab lands? Take Kashmiris like Gillani also with you. They consider themselves to be from Iran.
@Syed Jalal Kashmiri: Ask them to send you a one way ticket to Pakistan.
@Haider: It was till people like you illegally occupied it. Now just vacate it.
@GS@Y: "@ModiFied: Brace yourself to be disappointed then. Pakistan and the Kashmiris are not about to stop talking for fear of ruffling your fragile, worthless feelings."
Talk all you want. No one has stopped. But first get out of the land of Rishi Kashyap. Go and talk in Islamabad or Karachi or Lahore. But just return the land to rightful owners. Its time to vacate. The lease deed has expired..
@Gp65: I am so happy. I remember the day we had to return on a plate the liberated area of Hajipir won with so many sacrifices and blood. This time you are bang on.
@Haider: @Anonymous: Honestly tell me which one of the above are you posting carbon copy comments or you are neither of them. You say "And what did India do in 1971….Came btw the matter of East and West Pakistan…Kashmir is a common problem of pak and india…..and people who are facing problems are in Indian Occupied Kashmir………" Be assured India did nothing you dug your own grave forcing a genocide on the people of your own country and attempting to change their race. If we had any territorial ambitions like you have on Kashmir or Afghanistan; Bangladesh would not be a thriving peaceful, soverign and progressing democracy. You are wrong; it is not a common problem of "pak and india" as you call it. In fact it is no problem. The problem has been created by your attack to grab Kashmir. You are the problem. The truth is that PEOPLE of Kashmir have no interest to be a part of your country. They are aware 1.what will happen to the majority of Kashmiri people who are Shias and Sufi. 2.What will be their economic future with a failed state living on the donations of the world banks. 3. What will happen to their children who due to want of jobs and business will be thrown to the jihadi bands. 4. Do you think they do not know that you have already bartered a part of their beloved land with China .....and so on. I pray moderator to put this on board as many may not like it but must be said.
@BruteForce: Very valid points raised. These separatist leaders are the hired goons of ISI being paid to do some thing that could not be achieved by force from Sep 1947 on wards. These people, if they succeed, will take the hiring charges and disappear from the scene leaving innocent people of Kashmir to their bosses.
@Rakib: SO if Namo dint cancel you would ahve said "INC , BJP are the same as they follow same policy"... And if Name cancelled (which did happen) you are saying "INC, BJP same as they both run by their agendas" and came up with this whole lot of blabber..
Perhaps you dont understand diplomacy as much as you thing you do..Permanent Ban? India is a democracy not demoCRAZY..Even terrorist have freedom of speech.No one can ban anything if its not illegal. Statesman doesn't meant he will proselytize to anyone just to etch his name in history. His priorities are his nation, simple. They directed Pakistan , asked them not to meet Hurriyat.Pakistan still went ahead and met them. SO even after all these , the foreign secretaries would have met to do what? Play squash?!.. Talks can only happen when both parties respect each others views and at-least ready to listen to them with open minds.Pak could have atleast postponed their Hurriyat meeting after the secy talks.. This is not INC, this is NDA. And this is Modi
@Rakib: Damned if you do damned if you don't. According to you if Modi went ahead then he huffed and puffed and became a clown, if he didn't then he did so because of the opposition and Modi lost the chance to show that he is a statesman in the making. Your bias makes you lose credibility
We do not want a wannabe statesman in the making like Nehru, we want someone who keeps the interest of the nation above the lure of creating a global image for himself.
@Gp65: More like each other than earlier. Both INC/BJP are equally susceptible to pressure from other political parties/hawks/media. Unable to stay the course they give in very easily to smallest possible challenge. More so with Modi wrt Pak because he must be worried about his put-on macho image! Here was an opportunity for Modi to prove that he is a Statesman-in the making, that he is his own man. Instead, he became as silent as Sphinx Singh. Why should one's option be limited only to meet or not to meet; to talk or to sulk? India could have seized the chance to drive home a proposal for permanent ban on any future meeting with each other's malcontents without prior permission of Delhi/Islamabad. That could have been the first point on the agenda if India's foreign secretary had visited Pak. That was not to be. But then Modi is new to the subject & Sushma must be sulking as usual.
@S Sarkar: I had predicted that and sure enough talks have been called off.
@Rakib @Vinod,
As you can see both INC and BJP are not the same.
"India calls off talks, says Pakistan's interference in internal affairs 'not acceptable'" Thank you Mr. Modi for your bold step and keep our head held high. http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/india-calls-off-talks-says-pakistan-s-interference-in-internal-affairs-not-acceptable_955337.html
All Kashmiris who want to be Pakistanis--Govt. of India,please oblige & issue visa to them & put them on bus to pakistan,and make them surrender Indian passports at the border. Also remove Govt. allotment of free seats in professional colleges across India to kashmiris...why give them expensive education worth 60 lakhs per seat in medical colleges which is paid for by govt/tax payers money ?
Great work for all Kashmiri freedom fighters. We Kashmiris want freedom and justice. If India cannot provide it, we will turn to our traditional allies in Pakistan and the Muslim world.
Dear all Indians I dont know which pushtoon separatist are you talking about. Pushtoon community is a part of Pakistan. I am a Pushtoon living in Dubai as a software Engineer from Puktoonkhwa Province. In our province the problem is not separatism its about American War in Afghanistan. If in Baluchistan you are talking about that are Baluch people and even in Baluchistan baluch people are divided in three sects in which only one is demanding that from 1947. Mian Tribes are Bugti Mari and Mengal. Only Mari tribes of whom one or two clans which is all the time doing like that. Once they were decoides and now are playing in the hands of foreign spy agencies. GB is a part of divided Kashmir and to whom to talk to in GB you are welcome on that so that we have a solution on this issue as per demand of the people living in both your occupied or our occupied kashmir.
I am proud that Pakistan acknowledges the leadership of Kashmir and takes the Kashmiri people into confidence in any negotiations or talks concerning our lives. I don't expect this from India, because India hates the Kashmiri people and oppresses us daily. I am looking forward to the day when Kashmiris will be in Pakistan, freed from occupation and genocide.
We are always with you Pakistan, From Indian Occupied Kashmir.
Indian ambassador should talk to thw representatives of balochistan and Sindh.
As is the norm of the Pakistanis whatever be the garb of their government (civil or military), they are doing what they have excelled at since 1947 - i.e. shoot themselves in the foot! Why should India bother to stop them? As Napoleon famously said: "When your enemy is making a mistake, be sure NOT to interrupt him"...
@James: Either Pakistan will be persuaded to call of talks with Hurriyat or secy level talks on Aug 26 between India and Pakistan will be called off. Both will not happen.
@Rakib:
Modi will continue to ghe good policies of UPA - with changes where warranted (Aadhar, MNREGA), discontinue policies that did ot make sense (beto on growth by environment ministry, planning commission), start new initiatives (smart cities, river linking, Jan Dhan Yojana, laour regorms proactive improvement of relations with SAARC countries - Pakistan being an exception where the ball is in Pakistan's court).
Even if he did not change any policies but actually improved execution and transparency, there would be significant improvement.
This is the kind of 'cleverness' which defeats goodwill.
@James: And he huffed & he puffed to bring UPA house down and then ended up merely a mimicking clown. BJP is INC, lettered differently.
@Np: So whats stopping the Modi govt from cancelling the meet.During his election campaign Modi talked about taking a tough line. The time for blaming UPA and making speeches is over.Lets see the tough action
@ModiFied: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-subramanian-swamy-slams-pakistan-s-high-commissioner-2011504
No official request to government of India had been made to permit this meeting. Of course they had been relying on past practice set up by spineless UPA. Just as UNMOGIP has been asked o vacate fre premises and Stay on their own expense, Pakistan embassy too will not be allowed to go on with this abuse of host country's hospitality.
Already Subramaniam Swamy is making an issue about this. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-subramanian-swamy-slams-pakistan-s-high-commissioner-2011504
Ajit Doval the NSA is very unlikely to allow such nonsense to go on.
@GS@Y: Do you think it is fine if the ambassador of America or India or Bangladesh invites for talks the leaders of Pashtoon Independence movement? Please confirm.
Talks are now doomed to fail. Pakistan begs all the time get audience with India. When talks are offered then politicians who are despised in India are invited. This is abuse of hospitality. How about Indians inviting Buloch, Jiye Sindh and separatist Pashtuns in Indian Embassy? Will Pakistani will feel good. I think it is time for Pakistanis to decide if they want to talk to Indian Government or Kashmiri extremists Muslims
" ... Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit has invited leaders from the disputed Kashmir state ‘for consultations’ ... "
Excellent !! India just pressed the reset button on the "Kashmir issue". We will start all over again. We have a lot of patience for this sort of thing.
What's all this consultation about to, to quit Pak occupied Kashmir. Just get out of there. You have enjoyed enough free lunch over last 67 years. Time to exit.
Is Pakistan's leadership that much immature that need to consult a third party as how to manage their relationship with their neighbors? If you are not serious about improving your relations then why are you wasting your precious time in indulging with this meaningless dialogue? Pakistan should review their past foreign policy and see what it has gained from it. And is it worth to spend so much resources on this cause?
@GS@Y: Don't count your chickens until they hatch. See how many end up accepting the invitation and show up in Delhi. Geelani etc. get free palatial accomodation, free top class healthcare and no demands have so far been made of them. That will change. India will not permit its capital for ani- India confabulations any more.
" the foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries on August 25 in Islamabad." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Can anyone forecast which Govt would be in helm in Islamabad on that day?:)
Kashmiri people want jobs and economic opportunities. Hope peace is sustained.
" Pakistan’s envoy to consult Hurriyat leaders on Aug 19" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In a qquid pro quo Indian delegation must hold consultations with Baluchi freedom fighters....in full public glare.
@GS@Y: " Pakistan and the Kashmiris are not about to stop talking " +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ What else can u do but talk...after having lost war after war against India in the vain hope of snatching Kashmir? And which sane Kashmiri would want to be with Pakistan...after reading " Quaid’s betrayed legacy" ( ET:http://tribune.com.pk/story/749111/quaids-betrayed-legacy/)
Nice action by Pak High Commissioner. I hope similar actions by Indian High Commission meeting with locals of PHK, GB and Baluchistan will also be supported by Pakistan to build trust in each other's actions ..... :-))
GS@Y : only one thing dont cry about Balochistan den . Thank you . #EnoughSaid
@GS@Y:
Are there any Pandits, Buddists, Sikhs from Kashmir or just the Sunnis? Even the Shias and Ahmadis are not well represented here.
Do do think only Sunnis are Kashmiris?
Kashmir has been Hindu land for 5000 years. You can talk to anybody but NOTHING will change on the ground. As a Hindu I am aghast that we still need the permission of the invaders to do anything in OUR land. Kashmir is occupied land just like Palestine. I apologize if this post offended any of you. But the Muslim invaders are gone. We should get back what is ours. Squatters can NEVER be the true owners of the land. It belongs to the indigenous people.
@GS@Y: As usual, you've missed the point. Pakistanis can talk to the Kashmiri separatists as long and as frequently as they like ... in Pakistan. Issue them visas and keep them there for all we care. The office of the Pak High Commissioner to India should not be used to encourage separatist activity in the host country. The GoI should put a stop to this nonsense.
@ModiFied: Brace yourself to be disappointed then. Pakistan and the Kashmiris are not about to stop talking for fear of ruffling your fragile, worthless feelings.
Hope Modi knows about this invitation and issues a warning to Pakistani High Commissioner not to indulge in such activities from now on. I will be highly disappointed if Modi does not take action.