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SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited veteran Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to visit Pakistan, the Kashmiri leader’s group said here on Saturday.
“Mr Geelani was handed the invitation letter from Mr Sharif by Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit over dinner at the latter’s residence at Tilak Marg in Delhi last night,” a spokesman for the Geelani-led Hurriyat said.
The spokesman said that in a letter the prime minister had termed the Kashmir issue the unfinished agenda of the creation of Pakistan and contended that friendly relations between New Delhi and Islamabad without solving the problem would be nothing but “self-deceit”. “In the letter... he also said Pakistan has made it clear to India that there can be no progress on bilateral ties while ignoring Kashmir issue,” he said.
“We want good relations with all our neighbours including India but New Delhi’s unrealistic approach has been a big impediment,” the spokesman quoted Mr Sharif as having said in the letter.
He said Mr Geelani had in principle accepted the invitation. He did not give any date of travel.
By arrangement with the Times of India
Published in Dawn, October 11th , 2015
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Comments (69) Closed
Oct 11, 2015 07:57am
Yes welcome step, Mr. Geelani has worked all his life for freedom of held kashmir, now he should be rewarded for this life long struggle by giving him Pakistan citizenship and settling him in Azad kashmir with all facilities paid by govt .
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Oct 11, 2015 07:57am
If India is truly a democracy, then they should have no principle in PM NS making contact with "free Indians", correct?
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Oct 11, 2015 07:57am
Since no other PM/President comes to Pakistan..very good idea. Looks like hewill be nominated President of Kashmir by one of the Sharifs. Now India will know who they are dealing with!
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Oct 11, 2015 08:09am
Concentrate on Kashmir only because all other issues are useless as per PM logics.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:23am
Policy of open confrontation will help India more. Pakistan is getting into a unmanageable race with India.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:30am
Great work
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Oct 11, 2015 08:31am
Mr geelani neigher supported by kashmiri people nor gov of Kashmir but only gov of Pakistan.people of Kashmir know he want to establish islqmic rule sharia in Kashmir.that is not excepted to majority of Muslim itself.leave the minority aside.
Pakistan is wasting its time and resources.Thats why India has never denied this meet.obviously not in three party discussion in Kashmir issue.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:34am
So, it is almost final that there won't be any peace as Pakistan does not seems interested. We will wait and hopefully some new leader will come in future who is interested in future of Pakistan instead of Kashmir.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:35am
"...The spokesman said that in a letter the prime minister had termed the Kashmir issue the unfinished agenda of the creation of Pakistan..."
Nawaz Sharif is not only competent but he wants to take credit of other people's deeds and work. These words were emphasized by the COAS Raheel Sharif. Nawaz Sharif has neither the wisdom or the courage to say something like this.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:37am
Please keep him in Pakistan and then you can realize that getting him does not get them Kashmir. No one cares about the Hurriyat or Geelani except Pakistani politicians.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:43am
Let's hope both of them can solve kashmir issue. India is watching how u solve kashmir and if not please keep him there for ever.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:43am
Policy of open confrontation will help India. Pakistan is now getting into trap we up by India as it is an unmanageably a painful race
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Oct 11, 2015 08:44am
It is not NS but army which is behind this. As long as there is dual policy of NS talking peace and army in confronting mode there will be no peace
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Oct 11, 2015 08:47am
Must admit that these separatist leaders are so lucky, at one end all their children & grand children are well educated & well settled abroad using Indian Passports & Indian citizen ship & on the other hand they get royal treatment from Pakistan by showing support to Pakistan by raising the Pakistani Flags in the valley encouraging the youth of kashmir to forget every thing & only agitate for freedom,
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Oct 11, 2015 08:51am
Shri. Geeliani can only travel with an Indian passport only which identifies him as an Indian citizen. He can leave the country and renounce his citizenship and lose all his rights as an Indian. Good luck on his travel
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Oct 11, 2015 08:54am
Nice move. we are Democratic nation every one can visit Pakistan and share its Pain with us. Definitely we will help them and will loud their voice in the world for good.
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Oct 11, 2015 08:54am
Was that a invitation letter or political manifesto.?
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Oct 11, 2015 08:56am
How can he invite Indian citizens for talks? If they want to talk on Kashmir to clear their doubts, they should discuss this with elected prime minister of India, Mr.Modi? I think this is immature step.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:00am
He wants to talk to India but irritates India also. Can this invitation not be delayed or avoided since Kashmir talks are not happening right now and consulting Hurriyat Leaders at this juncture is meaningless. Off Course, talking on Mobile or through High Commissioner or through letters is something that India doesnot object to. Will BJP leaders or Modi be able to ignore the meeting between Gilani and Sharif and still will be preapred for Composite Dialogue on Kashmir, I doubt.
When you want to talk to somebody, decency demands that you take care of other's sensitivities and accordingly check your words or actions so that dialogue process is not derailed.
It all shows that Pakistani Military is not in mood to start talking to India right now. OK. Let it be. India is not incurring heavy loss and is not dying to talk either.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:02am
If you encourage separatists, India would do the same. Why create problems unnecessarily? If it is just consultation, Pakistan has already met this guy several times and what new opinion could come out of it? If Pakistan plans action on the ground with his help, it would be bad. What goes around comes around
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Oct 11, 2015 09:02am
How does pakistan and pakistanis come to conclusion that he is kashmiri leader...is he the elected representative of kashmiri people...thats why democracy will never reinvent itself in pakistan or go ahead.....
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Oct 11, 2015 09:02am
This is the way to go Mr. Prime Minister
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Oct 11, 2015 09:03am
The story of the 2 countries is akin to 2 brothers diving the property at one stage. After a few years, one progressed reasonably well because he invested in the right portfolio while the other had, inspite of all the potential, lagged behind. Does one brother want to pull down the other or use the commonality between them to support each other, and make their future secure, is an open question.
The world gives the Nobel prize to certain individuals but it also reminds that the recipient is working in a hostile environment. I hope the Nobel prize committee does not think of giving the Nobel prize a second time, after some years, to the same individual for the same work. That will show to the world that the hostile environment continues and there is no change on the ground. Do we want that?
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Oct 11, 2015 09:04am
That seems to be the only way to keep in touch with the Hurriyat leader and to raise the level of his hope for a favorable settlement of Kashmir problem.It also indicates that Pakistan is trying hard to explore all avenues to settle the problem.God only knows what effect it is having on the Hurriyat leader and how long false promises from the Pakistani leaders will hold good.I believe that the Hurriyat leader knows very well that nothing can happen in this direction unless India agrees to talk and agrees to the line of thinking of the Hurriyat leaders in Kashmir.This kind of thinking will never be acceptable to India as has happened in the past 60 plus years.Hurryat leaders should try the power of the ballot and prove their majority.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:26am
Pity act. One more thing as soon the Iranian port is created... Pakistan would be junk for India of no use. Than India will live without Pakistan for ever....
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Oct 11, 2015 09:33am
Pakistan needs to put Kashmir agenda behind and work for human development and increase business with India. The bottom line of freedom in any country is "Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan." And if you like to speak to Kashmiri folks go ahead and talk to the new generation of Kashmiris not the old man like Geelani. India also needs to talk to the folks from so called "Azad Kashmir." Dialogue will go on and in the mean time cultural and business relations must proceed. This is good for the entire South Asia. Kashmir turned out to be the only rate-limiting step for the economic development and peace in entire South Asia. If it goes like this for another 50 years, South Asian people are not going forgive Pakistani and Indian Government.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:33am
Hurriyat...? It currently exists for name sake. People in the valley are now turned towards development oriented stuffs. Enjoy the trip and be safe Mr. Geelani.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:40am
Good development work.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:53am
This will serve no purpose as any talks will be productive only when Pakistan establishment discuss the matter with Indian elected government. By inviting a handful Indian citizens on their payroll will make Pakistan stop doors for future possible talks with India.
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Oct 11, 2015 09:57am
Nothing new in this. Geelani does not represent even 0.0001 % of Kashmir. Why involving him in the bi lateral picture?
Every one knows that he is fully funded by Pak. Pak Please get on with your economic agenda and grow to match the world.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:11am
He takes money from you and he takes money from us. He wins all the time.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:14am
There is 2 type of doing good and bad. Try doing bad with great effort and passion it will still remain good. Do good with a little heart still that will show. Nothing is gona change by this meeting , reason is very obvious
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Oct 11, 2015 10:15am
so kashmir is first agenda and our last agenda is pakistan growth..!!! so first is most imp...!!
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Oct 11, 2015 10:16am
Populist measure.. hope this improves the ties with neighbours..brings more investments and makes pak a economic power house.. good luck friends.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:23am
@MA what so gr8 in that this is not happening first tym
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Oct 11, 2015 10:29am
Waste of time Mr. NS.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:31am
Great move by Pakistan. Pakistani citizens love this man so much than Indians. If possible Pakistan should keep him in Pakistan itself.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:32am
Great move. It will encourage India to talk with Pakistan.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:40am
This obsession over Kashmir is bound to take Pakistan down the spiral...It has already costed two generations to live under abysmal poverty with very limited growth opportunities... Anyone who is slightly well off prefers leaving the country...Pls come out of this obsession and focus n divert resources to make Pakistan a better place to live...There is still lot to be done for them...
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Oct 11, 2015 10:43am
Welcome brother syed Ali shah Geelani. You,ll have an amazing reception.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:46am
Either decided to have a dialogue with India or can irritate India like this. Options are with Pakistan.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:49am
Keep doing this and there will be somthing that will spin the whole situation to real low. Nawaz Sharief is not reconciliatory to anything g and wants to escalate this to real confrontation sooner than expected as he i am sure did Kargil also and blamed Gen Musharrf to get out of it . He is a war monger not Modi as he wants war somhow.
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Oct 11, 2015 10:53am
Good move!
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Oct 11, 2015 11:02am
Mr. Nawaz Sharif, you want to provoke India and also want to do business with India? Is not there a single person in Pakistan who at least has average IQ?
If you want to be practical, better you rote learn the following:
"India will not yield to the blackmail of Terrorism. India will not yield even one square inch of its territory, which includes all of Jammu and Kashmir. If you insist on war we are ready to face your Atom Bums."
Now, based on the above, do whatever you have to. Do not waste time with Hurriyat, and terrorists, those days are gone and will never return.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:10am
I believe India should talk to Hurriyat leaders. Their isolationist policy is serving no one. Ignoring the elephant in a room does not mean the elephant does not exist.
Include Kashmir in the agenda in addition to terrorism, trade etc. And let the confidence building measures move forward slowly and steadily.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:17am
@Slydini "Great move. It will encourage India to talk with Pakistan."
I thought you guys said you didn't want to talk to India...:-)
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Oct 11, 2015 11:20am
@Slydini so give one example when this has worked. This person has no standing in J&K and he is surviving on handouts
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Oct 11, 2015 11:22am
Syed Ali Shah Geelani is holding Indian pass port for your information
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Oct 11, 2015 11:25am
@Slydini ROFL... Nice one.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:27am
Mr. Geelani loves Pakistan and hence he should permanently allowed to stay in Pakistan and shouldn't be allowed to come back to India.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:28am
India has no problem.Whether it is Geelani or Modi, no power can challenge Indias democracy & its constitution.Under Modi India is moving rapidly & we should continue our efforts on development.Nothing else matters. ......
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Oct 11, 2015 11:32am
A good move to irritate India.
But Sorry NS. Modi doesn't have time to waste on these silly things.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:34am
Why? No need of it.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:36am
Nawaz Sharif talking to all but India.Way to go.
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Oct 11, 2015 11:52am
Sir, Mr. Geelani (or any kashmiri separatist leader) is not going to resolve Kashmir issue. He doesnt have mandate and authority. Then you will blame India for delaying talks.
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Oct 11, 2015 12:17pm
this is the best way to cheat pakistanese.hurriyat leader knows that goin to pakistan will be a big mistake politically.even wants him to go to pakistan but he understants this is gonna be the last nail
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Oct 11, 2015 12:55pm
NS, do something constructive. Invite MSoft, Google, FB and various automotive maker please..
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Oct 11, 2015 12:57pm
Well when the pakistani government invites the separatist leaders for a talk just before NSA talks and now the PM openly invites the separatist leader, then i don't know why everyone blames modi for bad ties.
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Oct 11, 2015 01:55pm
@Zak We welcome this suggestion.
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Oct 11, 2015 03:15pm
Is this a part of Mr. Sharif's "4 Point Peace proposal" to India?
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Oct 11, 2015 03:38pm
A good step. Pakistan needs to move full steam rolling over Kashmir and other issues concerning India , specially now when cat is out of bag with regards to open Indian admission about its involvement in terrorism within Baluchistan and other parts of Pakistan.
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Oct 11, 2015 05:36pm
There is a elected government is Kashmir. Why PM is noting talking to them. If Pakistan wants to resolve Kashmir issue , let them talk to Kashmir government
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Oct 11, 2015 05:53pm
This is truly like poking in the eye. NS digging the hole deeper for hi self. BJP and Congress will be united now. NS is making Modi's acts legit and visionary.
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Oct 11, 2015 06:07pm
Isn't it curious how all you hindustanis parrot the same line, ie "Pakistan is wasting its time, Pakistan should focus on the economy, etc etc" - and yet you all get so agitated by this news that you swarm onto the comments section en masse to express your fears?
You people have had almost 70 years to try to legitimise your invasion of Kashmir. Had you exercised even some token show of human rights and democracy there, you would have killed off the whole liberation movement by now - but you can't even manage that. As long as mass graves and fake police encounters continue, there will be no shortage of Geelanis and/or youths waving the Chand Sitara all across the valley.
Hasan
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Oct 11, 2015 06:32pm
@Hasan seems you don't know the truth , there was no Indian Army till 1947 end in Kashmir but at that time the Kabayal attacked the Kashmiris and tried to take off with their possession and women.The Kasmiris then called Indian Army, that airlifted ahead of returning Kabayal and halted the looting and pillage and thus LOC was created and the India. army stayed back to block further attacks .So you call everyone but very few want to switch countries but yes most want total freedom and independence from both countries which should be okay, maybe create a new Switzerland in our area .
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Oct 11, 2015 06:32pm
@Zak
Geelani gets a hefty pension from Indian govt. and lives a lavish life in Srinagar. He is not moving to Pakistan anytime soon!
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Oct 11, 2015 06:54pm
@Pukudenguta
India just gave a big chunk of Indian land to Bangladesh, so stop lying that India will not give away even an inch of its land!
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Oct 12, 2015 07:44am
@Ishrat Khan Treatment of Pakistan and Bangladesh will be totally different...
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Oct 13, 2015 04:51am
Sure. Now the Mr PM is calling Syed Shah Gilani, he would have no issue focusing on freedom movement within Pak. Maybe start with reconciling with Baloch leaders.
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