Narendra Modi government's decision to cancel talks with Pakistan undemocratic: Ali Shah Geelani

NEW DELHI: Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani arrived to meet Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit here on Tuesday, a day after India called off the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan over the latter’s envoy holding talks with Kashmiri separatists. Ahead of the meeting, Geelani termed the Narendra Modi government’s decision to cancel the India-Pakistan foreign secretary-level talks as unfortunate.

“We have been visiting Pakistan embassy several times to hold talks. The decision to cancel foreign secretary-level talks is undemocratic,” Geelani said. “The issue of Jammu and Kashmir is an international issue and it should be solved. As long as promises made to us are not fulfilled, this issue will remain unsolved,” said Geelani.

Moderate Hurriyat faction leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the Indian government has over-reacted. “New Delhi over-reacted... There has to be a peaceful, political resolution to the Kashmir issue,” Farooq told a news channel. JKLF leader Mohammad Yasin Malik was also in Capital to meet Basit.

Pakistan has described the decision to cancel the talks as a setback to its efforts to promote good neighbourly relations. Pakistan also said it has been a “long-standing practice” to meet separatist leaders ahead of bilateral talks.