Hizbul Chief Salahuddin Not A Terrorist, Says Pak Envoy Basit

Basit also said that India delaying the visit indefinitely after Pathankot attacks was “not in the right spirit”.

Abdul Basit, Pakistan High Commissioner to India.

(Photo: PTI)

Outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul basit on Tuesday hit out at the United States for labelling Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a terrorist.

Salahuddin was termed a terrorist by the US just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump in June. Basit said that Salahuddin was “struggling for right to self-determination of Kashmiris”.

Whatever he is doing, which is also seen in Pakistan and J&K, is a struggle for the right to self determination. We don’t agree with him being a global terrorist and also criticize the decision on part of the United States as well.

Abdul Basit

He added that the Hurriyat represented the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

As far as Hurriyat is concerned, we strongly feel that they represent political aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir. I am confident that sooner or later both countries will resume the dialogue process because that is the way forward. NSAs (of India and Pakistan) are in touch with each other.

On the issue of the Mumbai attacks, Basit added:

We have made some progress when it comes to the Mumbai trial. In order for two countries to put closure on it we need cooperation. Post Mumbai (attack), we did put him (Hafiz Saeed) under house arrest, but for lack of enough evidence we had to release him. He is still under house arrest, we’re trying to gather more evidence. If there is enough evidence available to try him, we will do that.

Basit said that India delaying Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit indefinitely following Pathankot attacks was “not in the right spirit”.

Foreign Secretary Jaishankar was scheduled to visit Pakistan on 15 January, Pathankot happened on 2 January. We could understand if the visit was delayed for a week or two, but delaying it indefinitely was not in the right spirit. India should have allowed that visit to take place, and that would have helped to retain the spirit of cooperation on Pathankot.

Abdul Basit

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit had sought early retirement in late July and his request has been accepted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Basit, who was set to retire from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April 2018, had “submitted an application to Prime Minister Sharif for his early retirement which was accepted,” Geo News reported, citing sources.

The senior Pakistani diplomat has already completed his three-year tenure in New Delhi.

(With inputs from ANI.)

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