Pak envoy Abdul Basit meets separatist Aasiya Andrabi

In what is being seen as an attempt to highlight the Kashmir issue once again, Kashmiri pro-Pakistan rabble-rouser Aasiya Andrabi met Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit recently over lunch in a meeting that spanned a few hours. Sources in the Pakistan high commission confirmed the meeting on April 9, saying it was “part of a consultative process in view of the deteriorating situation” in the Kashmir valley following the Handwara firing. Just as the situation in the Valley is limping back to normalcy, the move is being seen by observers as yet another attempt by Pakistan to fish in troubled waters.

Mr Basit is widely seen as a nominee of the Pakistan Army and a hardliner, albeit soft-spoken, which is significant, given the troubled ties between the civilian government in Pakistan and the military establishment there.

Sources said that the meeting between Ms Andrabi and Mr Basit was scheduled after both sides took the initiative on the matter, amid indications that the Pakistan high commissioner may meet more Kashmiri separatist leaders over the next few days.

Sources said the situation in the Kashmir Valley was discussed at length by the two.

The firing at Handwara followed by protests by civilians in the Valley were widely seen as having given a fresh impetus to the separatist Hurriyat Conference to once again raise passions and fan the fires of separatism.

Mr. Basit had recently stated that he felt the dialogue process between India and Pakistan had been suspended but was swiftly seen to have been contradicted by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. The Pakistani envoy’s comment was also contradicted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi.