 "India upset over Pakistan envoy meeting with Hurriyat leaders")
It was a déjà vu when Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit met Hurriyat leaders once again to discuss matters related to Kashmir, even as India reiterated that a bilateral dialogue was the only way forward.
“The government of India speaks for itself. Having repeated that there should be no scope for misunderstanding or misrepresenting India’s position on the role of the so-called Hurriyat. Let me reiterate, there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in resolution of India-Pakistan issues. The only way forward for proceeding on all outstanding issues is a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework of the Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration,” Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson, ministry of external affairs (MEA) said here on Monday.
The government was upset that despite repeated warnings, Pakistan has chosen to involve the views of the Hurriyat leaders in matters related to a resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
"I don't think the Indian government is objecting. I would rather suggest my media friends not to make an issue out of a non-issue," Basit said on the sidelines of an event here to mark the Pakistan National Day.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik said he has been attending the Pakistan National Day celebrations over the past 22 years and there had been no objection or any restriction on that.
According to the chairman of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Kashmir issue is a “complex” and required a “political approach".
Basit’s meeting with the Hurriyat leaders was one of the main reasons why the government had called off the foreign secretary level talks last year in August. However, the talks were revived when the new foreign secretary S Jaishankar visited Islamabad earlier this month and all bilateral issues were taken up.
“The government of India speaks for itself. Having repeated that there should be no scope for misunderstanding or misrepresenting India’s position on the role of the so-called Hurriyat. Let me reiterate, there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in resolution of India-Pakistan issues. The only way forward for proceeding on all outstanding issues is a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework of the Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration,” Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson, ministry of external affairs (MEA) said here on Monday.
The government was upset that despite repeated warnings, Pakistan has chosen to involve the views of the Hurriyat leaders in matters related to a resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
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Basit who met Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and other separatist leaders on Sunday and Monday, said the government had not objected to these meetings. He has even invited them to participate in the National Day celebrations here as has been the usual practice.
"I don't think the Indian government is objecting. I would rather suggest my media friends not to make an issue out of a non-issue," Basit said on the sidelines of an event here to mark the Pakistan National Day.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik said he has been attending the Pakistan National Day celebrations over the past 22 years and there had been no objection or any restriction on that.
According to the chairman of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Kashmir issue is a “complex” and required a “political approach".
Basit’s meeting with the Hurriyat leaders was one of the main reasons why the government had called off the foreign secretary level talks last year in August. However, the talks were revived when the new foreign secretary S Jaishankar visited Islamabad earlier this month and all bilateral issues were taken up.