New Delhi, January 12
The Centre has denied permission to hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani from attending a conference in Islamabad.Highly-placed sources said Mr Geelani had formally applied for the travel document in the Srinagar passport office, but his request was turned down.
“His visit to Pakistan has been stopped on security grounds,’’ the sources added.
The pro-Pakistan separatist leader, whose passport had been seized in 1981, was invited to attended the two-day conference on the contentious Kashmir issue, beginning today.
Reacting to the Centre’s decision, Mr Geelani, chief of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, said, “I was expecting this. This is nothing new.”
An official of the Central Passport Office here said, ‘’as the matter concerns a separatist leader, the clearance has to come from the Home Ministry so we have no knowledge about it.’’
The Washington-based Kashmir American Council and the London-based Justice Foundation are co-sponsoring the meeting aimed at expanding and enhancing ideas for planning and preparing for a global discourse on Kashmir.
In December, the Centre had for the fourth consecutive year denied permission to Mr Geelani and his wife to visit Saudi Arabia to perform Haj.
The Centre has denied permission to Kashmiri separatist leaders to travel abroad, saying that they might engage in anti-India activities.
However, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has been allowed to travel abroad from time-to-time. —
UNI
