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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