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Geelani for stability in India and Pakistan

Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR: The chairman of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani, on Sunday said that while he was for a stable Pakistan and equally wanted stability in India. He however said that Kashmir dispute was the main hurdle and it had to be resolved in accordance with aspirations of people.

On his return from Delhi after three months, Mr. Geelani told his supporters that he hoped for peace and harmony in both India and Pakistan. “Me or my party has no personal grudge against India but we strongly oppose its policies against Kashmiris.”

“Being against the policies of India doesn’t mean that we hate its people. We wish for stable Pakistan as well as peaceful India,” said Mr. Geelani. But in the same breath, he prayed for a stable Pakistan and said “that is part of my faith.” “We want that Pakistan should be stable and should progress as an Islamic country.”

However, he clarified that like India, he stood against the “wrong policies” of Pakistani government vis-À-vis Kashmir. “Whoever talks about diluting Kashmir issue will not be supported. There is no compromise on that,” Mr. Geelani said.

Reiterating his stand on elections, the senior leader asked people not to take part in any election process. “Elections under the Indian Constitution will dilute our basic right of self-determination” He said the party would conduct door-to-door campaigning for election boycott.

He said Benzir Bhutto’s assassination had badly destabilised Pakistan. “She died like a martyr. It was a shock to me when I heard the news of her assassination,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Conference president and former Chief Minister Gulam Muhammad Shah on Sunday said that if the forthcoming Assembly polls were rigged, it would mean trampling upon the people’s aspirations.

He told party workers here that the party would participate in the elections provided it was fair like the one held in 1977.

“It was the only election in the history of Kashmir that was free and fair,” Mr. Shah said, who was accompanied by wife Khalida Shah.

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