Sound bytes: ‘It is our right to meet Kashmiri leaders’
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The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, said in an interview with an Indian television channel that the meeting of Pakistan’s high commissioner with the Hurriyat leaders in New Delhi ahead of India-Pakistan secretary-level talks last month was ‘ill-timed’.
Dawn spoke to Aziz Ahmed Khan, former high commissioner to India from 2003-2007, about the modalities of meeting Kashmiri leaders.
Q.Is there a modus operandi for meeting Hurriyat or other Kashmiri leaders?
A. There is no such convention. We frequently and regularly meet Kashmiri leaders. It is no big deal. When I was the high commissioner to India I used to meet Hurriyat leaders. Most probably the [the current] high commissioner felt he needed a fresh viewpoint and wanted to know what the conditions are. From what I read in the papers, apparently the Indian foreign secretary told the high commissioner just 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting with the Kashmiri leaders to cancel it. But by then it was too late. The mission was already there. It is unfortunate that this happened but the Indians should have kept quiet about it rather than work themselves in a huff.
Q. Do you require prior permission from the Indian government when you meet Kashmiri leaders?
A. No such requirement is needed. As the high commissioner you meet everyone including opposition leaders, parliamentarians and the media. In fact, you should meet everyone to get everyone’s opinion. When the foreign minister and the prime minister [Shaukat Aziz on Nov 23, 2004] came to India we arranged a meeting with the Kashmiri leaders. Kashmir is a disputed land and we want a resolution that is acceptable to all Kashmiris.
Q. Did you think that the meeting was ill-timed?
A. I really cannot comment on that, because I am unaware of the context under which the meeting was held. I don’t know how long ago the meeting between the high commissioner and the Kashmiri leaders was planned or what was the duration of the meeting. I have read about it only in the newspapers in which Mr Sartaj Aziz spoke about this issue to an Indian TV network. I think most probably Mr Sartaj Aziz was quoted out of context.
Q. Do Indian high commissioners, to your knowledge, meet separatists i.e. Baloch leaders in Pakistan?
A. Kashmir is a disputed territory and Balochistan is not a disputed territory. It is our right to meet Kashmiri leaders.
Q. Is there a way forward?
A. The fact that during the floods in Kashmir, the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a message of sympathy and offered aid to us means that they want to put the incident behind them.
Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2014
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Comments (46) Closed
Oct 02, 2014 06:31am
who gave you that right when you leave you don't get what you ask for ...you take what is given to you
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Oct 02, 2014 08:00am
Talk with them or talk with us.. its so simple as that..
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Oct 02, 2014 08:26am
Okay,fair enough. It's also our right to cancel talks.
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Oct 02, 2014 08:32am
@Narendra Well said.
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Oct 02, 2014 08:48am
"Kashmir is a disputed territory and Balochistan is not a disputed territory. It is our right to meet Kashmiri leaders."
That kind of sums it up. These so called "experts" will be the death of Pakistan one day.
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Oct 02, 2014 09:02am
I have seen the interview of Sartaz Aziz and Indian TV - ntv's Barkha Dutta took his comments out of context. He was telling it could have been but it is pakistan right. For record, i'm an Indian. ! and on this date, i wish to talk only truth .
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Oct 02, 2014 09:24am
Two countries got Independence in 1947. One is orbiting Mars, while the other is still trying to enter India...
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Oct 02, 2014 09:42am
New Delhi by cancelling talks has made it quite clear to Islamabad that either the latter talks to them or the separatists to solve the Kashmir problem. Pakistan also needs to understand that it is now dealing with a new government led by a very strong leader who though wants peace with its neighbour provided it abandons its decades old habits which is not their right otherwise no further dialogue is possible.
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Oct 02, 2014 09:44am
@critic So who's lying?
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Oct 02, 2014 09:44am
@critic So who's lying?
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Oct 02, 2014 09:44am
Having right and being right are two different things. It is high time Pakistan realises this.
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Oct 02, 2014 09:52am
@Narendra Pakistan has the right to talk to Kashmiri leaders wherever and whenever it wants. United Nations resolutions gave them this right. Kashmir never was and never will be part of India.
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Oct 02, 2014 09:54am
Keep discussing...........
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Oct 02, 2014 10:13am
Let's stop the argument. The last meeting between separatists and the Pakistanis has happened. It won't be allowed to happen in the future. Jo hua...so hua.
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Oct 02, 2014 10:13am
@Calcutta Man
China got independence almost at the same time!
Lets look at the guy ahead of us. Don't look back at those left behind. You will trip over.
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Oct 02, 2014 10:58am
Did we go so weak that even can,t meet Kashmiri leaders?. Oh no please don,t disappoint Pakistanis who have the guts to stand against any threat and die for the cause of Muslim Ummah.
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Oct 02, 2014 11:02am
@Calcutta Man Let us put it this way "one orbiting Mars and people still have no access to sanitation".
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Oct 02, 2014 11:23am
@Koshur
Or let us put it this way - one nation dreams of Mars, the other worries about another nation's sanitation facilities...
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Oct 02, 2014 11:26am
@Amir Bangash Then, pl. die.
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Oct 02, 2014 11:35am
@Amir Bangash keep dying u guys any way have no future thanks to ur govt policies
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Oct 02, 2014 11:47am
@Koshur
Yes chief, we are working on our toilets....not trying to infiltrate yours
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Oct 02, 2014 12:20pm
Yasin Malik is visiting ur country the country of his in laws then u can talk wth him there why on Indian soil
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Oct 02, 2014 12:38pm
@Amir Bangash That is what ISIS is doing in the name of Islam, sending men, children and women folks for the cause of ummah.
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Oct 02, 2014 12:39pm
@Calcutta Man lol
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Oct 02, 2014 12:39pm
Kashmiri separatists have no vision, standing on two boats, will drown.
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Oct 02, 2014 12:40pm
@Calcutta Man Pakistanis r establishing fund for indian toilets.
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Oct 02, 2014 01:28pm
a country which is struggling to keep sectarianism plagued provinces and in midst of a civil war is aiming to expand its territory in the name of religion.First set u r house in order.then preach others.
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Oct 02, 2014 01:35pm
What right they are talking about ? They who sold a big chunk of land of Kashmir to Chinese. A land which area was equal to the area of Kashmir valley.Did you ask any Kashmiri before handing over their land to Chinese expansionist ? While doing that where was your feeling of Muslim Umma went, when you were handing over Kashmiri land to those who were doing atrocities over Muslim of Xinjiang.Muslim's of Xinjiang are being deprived of their basic religious rights.And when there was flood in Kashmir,when Kashmiri's were worrying about their life and future,your were asking them for plebiscite.Pakistani's have no right to talk about Kashmir.Don't forget Kashmir is not only of Muslim's,it is of Hindu's,Sikhs and Buddhists also who are the original habitants of Kashmir.Government did the right thing,we have seen enough of this Pakistani-Hurriyat drama,it is time to stop this ill-practice and should be stop immediately.
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Oct 02, 2014 01:41pm
Personally I would encourage Indian government representatives and Indian high commission representatives to meet Baloch leaders with the intention to cause as much embarrassment and difficulty to the Pakistan government. It is true that no one disputes that Baluchistan is part of Pakistan and that there is no dispute in that respect. It is also true everything is not good and peaceful between the Baloch people and the the central Pakistan government. India should aim to cause as all possible difficulty between the Baloch people and the Pakistan government. Perhaps then Pakistan government and newspapers may begin to understand what it means to interfere in another country. Kashmir is a dispute because committed aggression in 1947. Jahan tak ho sakay, jahan jahan ho sakay, aag laga do Pakistan mein. V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, 2 Oct 2014, 1410 IST
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Oct 02, 2014 01:42pm
No..means NO!
Pak have no right to talk to Hurriyat...They are separatist,, home breakers..paid and rolls of Pak. A bunch of people..enjoy every benefit in India..Freedom, facilities etc and talk non-sense against India. People in J&K are taken good care like any other state in India but these separatist keep parroting the same lines over and over again..military torturing women, youngsters, even if they are not touched. India has strong legitimate govt and Pak should talk to them directly without any involvement of these separatists.
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Oct 02, 2014 02:27pm
@javed
Sure go ahead and talk to them and so far as the UN is concerned India shut that office down.But freedom to do so comes with a tag and the host country too has some rights and that was to terminate the talks as it was pointless to do so with such intransigent characters.
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Oct 02, 2014 02:27pm
The ex ambassador should note that regardless of any territory in the world being the subject of dispute or not, if the people of that territory, if subjected to violent and inhuman acts by the government or by a section of the community that holds power, have the right to seek and obtain support from benevolent & righteous countries of the world. The most recent example is US, French, UK and 5 Arab states coalition to halt the in humane rampage by ISIL in Syria & Iraq. We all have the right to address and correct human wrongs.
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Oct 02, 2014 02:34pm
@javed Unfortunately for us or fortunately for them, it is & continues to be despite the separatists, flare ups and border troubles. We have tried often to wrest it out of them by force and failed miserably. I think it is time we accepted that co religionists do not necessarily bond together as a single nation. That is the reality. Live with it!
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Oct 02, 2014 02:36pm
@Bhutani. You don,t have to ask your government to set ablaze every thing in Pakistan because they are already working on this agenda by supporting terrorists elements inside Pakistan. But remember when you try to burn other,s homes they also have the right to do so.
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Oct 02, 2014 03:04pm
Its simple. Kashmir is a RECOGNIZED dispute territory BOTH by Pakistan and India on UN platform, which fate hasn't be decided yet since 1947. Pakistan doesnt need India's permission to meet anyone they wish from disputed territory. Its not like meeting the heirs of Nizam of Hyderabad Deccan and asking them their views on why Hyderabad wasn't allowed to annex with Pakistan despite the wishes of Nizam back in 1947.
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Oct 02, 2014 03:17pm
@vcbhutani You can do whatever you wish BUT after that be ready for Pakistan to meet with Khalistan, Naxalite, Naga, Assam leaders , so on and so forth. If western media keep you guys shielded from your internal problems being projected on global scale, it doesn't mean that Pakistan is not aware.
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Oct 02, 2014 03:35pm
@Last Word Better learn the term "Disputed Territory"
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Oct 02, 2014 03:36pm
@critic You are Indian Pakistani.
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Oct 02, 2014 08:01pm
@javed Kashmir is part of india now, at least most of it.
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Oct 02, 2014 08:02pm
Ex Ambassador should evaluate his accomplishment in India. Surely he will get negative ranking as whatever he did like speaking to separatist of Kashmir didn't results in to any gain to Pakistan on the contrary issue become back burner for India now. Status quo suits India very much than Pakistan. So total waste of time he spent in INDIA.
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Oct 02, 2014 08:18pm
Pakistan has been doing its damnedest for decades but it has not succeeded in destabilizing India. The Indian government does not listen to me. But if some day an Indian leader arises who will want to teach Pakistan a thing or two that may be a difficult time for Pakistan. Already, by its own unwise actions, it has lost East Bengal. If it does not learn to treat its own people fairly, bad things may happen in the future.
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Oct 02, 2014 10:44pm
@Koshur Agreed... We reached to Mars and we will achieve Sanitation as well... We have courage to do.. Whole India is united and will achieve these tasks... Message Noted and Indians will work hard to give you the answer in coming years. wait and watch
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Oct 03, 2014 12:28am
Where are the AJK leaders in all this muddle?
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Oct 03, 2014 01:50am
@Raj Q. Do Pakistani high commissioners, to your knowledge, meet separatists i.e. Nexalites, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagalandleaders etc in India?
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Oct 03, 2014 03:54am
@Calcutta Man And Kolkata is the laughing stock of the subcontinent's and has been called its armpit . More than a billion people has little food to eat and we are orbiting mars. Brilliant!
'
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Oct 03, 2014 04:20am
@Taimoor Khan -Same agenda, nothing new...what has happened to your land of purity is evident to the entire world..You guys need to come out of the mughal e azam era & learn to live in the new world...
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