Pakistan trying to appease India, says Geelani

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has termed as “unfair and unjustified” the Pakistani parliamentary panel asking the government in Islamabad to avoid “encouraging” support to militant groups in Kashmir and take action against outfits involved in attacks in the state to dispel international concerns.

Mr Geelani in a statement here on Wednesday asserted that the groups involved in the “freedom struggle” in Kashmir have nothing to do with terrorism.

“They are struggling for the just and genuine demand of right to self-determination for their nation and this factor has been present in every freedom movement of the world including that in India itself,” he said. He added, “The Kashmiri youth have not opted for the armed struggle just out of any amusement or fun but it is India’s rigid and stubborn policy with regard to the Kashmir issue that has given birth to this situation, and due to which precious lives in Jammu and Kashmir are being lost continuously.”

The Pakistan National Assembly standing committee on foreign affairs on Monday issued a four-page policy paper linked to Kashmir which said “Pakistan should not encourage calls for active support to armed, banned, militant groups in Kashmir.” The committee, headed by ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) legislator Awais Ahmad Leghari, proposed the government to take action against “violent armed outfits” to dispel international concerns.