M A I N   N E W S

Kashmir issue dominates wedding

ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (UNI) — The subcontinent’s much-publicised wedding between the children of Hurriyat Conference leader, Abdul Gani Lone, and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Amanullah Khan, today became a platform for the two leaders to vow to continue the struggle for the united and independent Jammu and Kashmir.

Just before the final ceremony of the marriage at the Royal Green Palace Hotel in Rawalpindi, a large gathering of leaders belonging to the either side of the Line of Control (LoC) was virtually converted into a sort of public meeting by Mr Khan. The gathering had been invited on the occasion of the “rukhsat” ceremony with Mr Khan bidding farewell to his daughter, Asma Khan, who became the wife of Sajjad Lone, the second son of Mr Lone, and was escorted to her new house — presently a rented accommodation in Islamabad — by her father-in-law and his family.

The final scene of the most-talked-about wedding was enacted but not without unfolding its political importance. Taking the mike in his hand, while welcoming a large number of guests, Mr Khan said: “When politicians meet, they just do not discuss weather.” He said there were ways to solve the Kashmir problem to the satisfaction of “India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris.”

On the other hand, Mr Lone, who was asked by the gathering to speak, said it was just like another wedding, the only difference was it was a reflection of “our determination to convey both to India and Pakistan our resolve to ensure that Jammu and Kashmir is reunited in the manner in which it existed in 1947.”

Mr Khan set the ball rolling when he expressed happiness that so many people, including about 25 guests of Mr Lone, from the either side of the LoC had come together on the occasion of the marriage and we would meet in a few days to listen to one another’s problem.

Pointing out that the entire subcontinental and world media was present on the occasion, Mr Khan said all eyes were focussed on the marriage. He condemned India for not giving passports to many of those who he had invited for the marriage. He mentioned in this context the name of Mr G.M. Shah, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Mr O.P. Shah, among others, who wanted to come to attend the wedding. He said Mr O.P. Shah was engaged in Track Two diplomacy along with Dr Mubashir Hasan. He said notwithstanding his political differences, he had sent invitations to the present and all former Indian Prime Ministers but only one former Indian Prime Minister, Mr I.K. Gujral, had acknowledged it. He had also sent invitations to the Chief Minister of Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr Chaman Lal Gupta, because both of them belonged to the undivided Jammu and Kashmir.

Similarly, he said, Pakistan had not issued visas to some of his guests, which he described as an “unfortunate” development. He said he wished that Indian and Pakistan Governments had shown the same spirit with which he had invited even his political adversaries. He said: “We are not saying that hand over Kashmir to Pakistan. There are ways by which the problem can be resolved to the satisfaction of India and Pakistan and the Kashmiris.”

Mr Khan then asked the audience whether anyone of them wanted to speak. There was a chorus from the gathering saying that Mr Lone should be asked to speak. In his brief speech, Mr Lone said Mr Khan had already referred to what India and Pakistan should realise about the prevailing situation in the subcontinent. He pointed out that he had not given his passport by the Indian Government till November 14 — three days before the marriage ceremony was to begin. His wife had to wait in Islamabad for his arrival. He said he was not sure till the last moment whether he would be given the passport. He said they were, nevertheless, determined to go ahead with their struggle for the unity of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed in 1947.

Earlier, Mr Khan read out a message from the Pakistan President, Rafiq Tarar, who conveyed his best wishes to the newly weds saying that he was unable to attend the wedding because of his pre-occupations. The former Pakistan Prime Minister, Ms Benazir Bhutto, also sent a congratulatory message in which she said the unity of two families belonging to the either side of the LoC was “a welcome sign”. Mr Shabir Shah, from Srinagar, and Mr Altaf Hussain, Muttahadi Qaumi Movement leader, also sent congratulatory messages.

Among those present on the occasion were Barrister Sultan Mahmood, Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and two of his ministers, and PoK leaders Sikander Hayat, Gen Hayan Khan and Sardar Qayum Khan, former Chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, and Dr Farooq Haidar, Mr Rafiq Dar and Mr Altaf Qadiri.

Why did Maulvi Farooq not perform ‘nikah’?
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

RAJOURI, Nov 19 — The wedding place had a festive look when Sajjad Lone, son of Mr Abdul Gani Lone, senior Hurriyat Conference leader, reached along with several hundred baratis, to take Asma, daughter of the JKLF supremo, Mr Amanullah Khan, as his wife.

Though the nikah ceremony was completed yesterday in Islamabad, Mr Lone headed the baratis to a warm reception at the residence of Mr Amanullah Khan. Mr Lone and his family members, including his wife, and elder son Bilal Lone, drove to Khan’s residence amid scenes of jubilation on Saturday to affix a formal seal to the wedding.

Several thousand people, including political leaders, intellectuals, journalists and senior functionaries of several fundamentalist and separatist groups, were present when the bridegroom reached Mr Khan’s place which had been decorated to make the wedding ceremony an event of the year in the Indian subcontinent.

Amanullah is said to have engaged top cooks for preparing mutton delicacies for the baratis. For a moment, the 50-year-old rancour was forgotten when the receptionists hugged the baratis. Though the wedding ceremony between the children of two senior Kashmiri leaders had political overtones, expectations were running high on the possibility of a breakthrough in Indo-Pak relations, the function had all the social and cultural fabrics attached with it.

What seems to have puzzled both the baratis and the receptionists was the conspicuous absence of the former Chairman of the Hurriyat Conference and head of the Awami Action Committee, Maulvi Umar Farooq at the wedding. Initially reports from Islamabad had indicated that Maulvi Umar Farooq would perform the nikah ceremony between Sajjad Lone and Asma Khan. While he was absent, his fellow traveller, Maulvi Abbas Ansari, another senior Hurriyat Conference leader, and who had gone to Doha with the Maulvi to attend the OIC meeting was present at all functions connected with the wedding.

It may be recalled that Maulvi Umar Farooq had been issued travel documents to travel to both Doha and Pakistan. His absence at the function has given rise to speculation that the Mirwaiz did not want to associate himself with the wedding.

The Awami Action Committee General Secretary, Mr G.M. Bhat, was told TNS on phone that the Maulvi was scheduled to reach Srinagar from Delhi this afternoon. Asked why the Mirwaiz did not travel to Islamabad to attend the wedding ceremony of Mr Lone’s son Mr Bhat shot back, “Who told you that Maulvi Sahib was scheduled to visit Islamabad in connection with Sajjad Lone’s marriage?

When reminded that newspapers had reported that Maulvi Umar Farooq would visit Pakistan and perform the nikah ceremony, Mr Bhat said, “Newspapers write so many things but all stories are not correct.”

His tone indicated that some misunderstanding had cropped up between the Mirwaiz and Mr Abdul Gani Lone which may have prompted the former to stay out of the wedding ceremony. In fact, during the recent election for the post of Chairman, Hurriyat Conference, in Srinagar, Maulvi Umar Farooq had voted in favour of Mr Lone which had reportedly irked the Jamait-e-Islami in Kashmir whose support had enabled Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, to win the poll.

In the context of these developments, both Lone and Khan have decided not to enter into any controversy while talking to the Pakistani media in “mono-syllables.” There are indications that the two may discuss the Kashmir issue after the wedding is over.

In the Kashmir valley, a majority of the people have demonstrated the least interest in the wedding ceremony. A senior correspondent of a Jammu-based English newspaper had sent a despatch from Srinagar in which he ridiculed the role of Amanullah Khan and the JKLF in organising the killing of scores of Kashmiri Pandits with the start of militancy in Kashmir in 1990.