Pak PM’s adviser Sartaj Aziz meets Kashmiri separatists in Delhi; BJP slams ‘diplomatic blunder’
Kashmiri separatists on Sunday had separate meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s adviser Sartaj Aziz here even as the BJP took a strong exception to it and termed it a “diplomatic blunder”. Hitting out at the Congress-led UPA Government’s decision to allow the conduct of the meeting on Indian soil, the BJP had, earlier in the day, also demanded that the talks be stopped.
Aziz is in India to take part in a conference of the External Affairs Ministers of select Asian and European countries here.
Expressing his “grave concern” over the manner in which the UPA Government was operating its “Pakistan policy”, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said, “Why is Aziz given this opportunity when Pakistan is committing acts of aggression in the State of Jammu & KashmirIJ This is something blatantly against the established international diplomatic norms.”
Pointing to the sustained effort by Pakistan to “internationalise” the Kashmir issue, the BJP chief insisted that Kashmir was India’s internal matter and it should be resolved through a home-grown solution.
“Kashmir issue was recently raised once again at the UN General Assembly meeting this year by Pakistan. In the absence of a long-term strategic thinking and direction, the UPA Government’s Pakistan policy has been driven by ad-hocism. By allowing Aziz to hold talks with Kashmiri separatists the UPA Government has committed another diplomatic blunder with serious costs to national security and national interest,” Singh said. The BJP chief also rued that UPA’s response towards acts of aggression by Pakistan has been submissive.
Kashmiri separatist groups met Aziz later in the evening. Emerging from an hour-long meeting at the Pakistan High Commission here, the moderate faction led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said that the talks were aimed at finding a lasting political solution to the Kashmir issue, a key element for normalising ties between the two countries.
Besides the Mirwaiz, JKlF chief Yasin Malik and hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Dukhtaran-e-Millat had separate meetings with Aziz. Geelani, who had arrived near Pakistan High Commission much before time, decided not to enter the premises till the team led by Mirwaiz was there. The moment they came out, Geelani went in.
“We want to see that the relations between the two countries are good and this would be possible only after the Kashmir issue is settled in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” Mirwaiz said.
To a question that the BJP had opposed their meeting with Aziz terming it as anti-national, the Hurriyat chairman replied, “I wonder how this is anti-national. The meeting is aimed at finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue which is in the interest of India, Pakistan as well as people of Jammu & Kashmir.”
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said, “The Hurriyat should also introspect on this matter that if they are really representatives of the people then they must participate in the democratic process.” Defending the meeting, Tewari said the democratic process has been in place in the State since 1996.
The Mirwaiz said that Hurriyat had been meeting with Pakistani leaders during the NDA regime under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy lK Advani. “Sad to see them (BJP) terming this meeting as anti-India. In fact, such talks must be encouraged,” he said, adding, “We seek cooperation not confrontation” from the BJP and other political parties. Aziz said Pakistan is also trying to restore peace in the region.
Yasin Malik said: “Kashmir issue cannot be resolved only between India and Pakistan. People from Kashmir should be heard and engaged in the peace process involving the two countries.”