Kashmir Isn’t India’s Internal Matter: Sharif Before Rajnath Visit

Rajnath Singh arrived in Pakistan ahead of protests in the country, primarily led by Hizbul chief, Hafiz Saeed.

Supporters of different Pakistani organisations attend an anti-Indian rally in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, 3 August 2016. (Photo: AP)

Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday to attend the SAARC Interior Ministers’ conference on 4 August during which he is expected to raise the issue of wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and cross-border terrorism.

Accompanied by a delegation comprising officials from his ministry and external affairs, Singh, who is on his maiden visit to Pakistan, will be underlining meaningful cooperation among the South Asian countries.

Before leaving for Islamabad to attend the day-long SAARC Home Ministers Conference, the Home Minister said he was “looking forward to underscore the imperative of meaningful cooperation within the region against terrorism and organised crime.”

However, Singh’s visit was met by thousands of activists of various religious and jihadi outfits, led by Mumbai attack mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, protesting on Wednesday across different Pakistani cities against the visit, accusing him of the unrest in Kashmir.

Singh reportedly had to take a chopper for the 16 kilometre journey from the airport to his hotel.

JuD chief Hafiz Saeed in a file photo (Photo: Reuters)

Activists of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Hizbul Mujahideen, United Jihad Council (UJC) and other such group protested Singh’s trip.

Saeed led the rally in Lahore’s Mall Road and vented his anger over the government’s decision to ‘welcome’ Singh despite his alleged “role in the killings of innocent Kashmiris”.

Earlier, Saeed warned the government that Singh’s presence in Islamabad may create “unrest” among Kashmiris as well as Pakistanis in the face of scores of killings in Kashmir.

Ahead of the conference, the Interior Secretaries from the member states met in Islamabad to review the progress made so far on agreed areas of cooperation and to finalise recommendations and proposals suggesting ways forward to further strengthen mutual cooperation through sharing of knowledge, experiences and expertise to overcome challenges facing the region.

These suggestions would be placed before the Interior Ministers for their consideration and decisions.

Kashmir Issue Main Pillar of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Nawaz Sharif

Pakistani protesters burn a representation of Indian flag during an anti-Indian rally in Karachi, Pakistan in July. (Photo: AP)

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday the Kashmir issue was the main pillar of Islamabad’s foreign policy.

Sharif, addressing the concluding session of the three-day conference of Pakistani envoys in Islamabad, stated that “desire for freedom is running in the blood of Kashmiris”.

He also said that Kashmir was witnessing a “new wave of the freedom movement” and asked diplomats to apprise the world that Kashmir was not India’s “internal matter.”

Today Kashmir is witnessing a new wave of the freedom movement. This movement is running into the bloods of third generation of Kashmiri people and the world has itself seen its intensity in the wake of 8 July. The Kashmiri youth are writing new chapters of sacrifice to win right to self determination. They have lost eyesight due to bullets but the desire for freedom is guiding them to their destination.

Nawaz Sharif

(With inputs from PTI.)