Fear of arrest forces Hurriyat leaders to back out of Pakistan event

Continuing with its strong policy stand on terrorism and disturbances in Kashmir, Indian Government has again hit the nail on its head. India had decided to boycott the national day event at the Pakistan High Commission, based on invitations extended to separatist Hurriyat leaders by Pakistan. Hurriyat leaders have from time and time again been responsible for inciting violence and stone pelting in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, of which the Kashmiri youth has been the biggest victim. This move comes after heightened tensions over the deadly terror attacks in Pulwama in which more than 40 soldiers of the CRPF had lost their lives.

Reports suggest that the Indian Government, taking things forward have also indicated towards arresting of all the Hurriyat leaders who will be attending the national day event at the Pakistan High Commission, in New Delhi. Taking cognizance of the firm policy evolution, Hurriyat leaders, who in the past have also indulged in Pakistan sponsored narratives, are on the back foot. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the Awami Action Committee, one of the two key factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, was adamant on sending Hurriyat representative to the Pakistan national day celebrations however nobody from the Hurriyat cadre was ready to be the sacrificial lamb and be arrested. Essentially forcing the Hurriyat leadership to skip the event citing ‘hostile environment’. This new policy decision is sure to aid India’s efforts in disrupting Pakistan’s undue intervention on Indian sovereign territory.

According to sources, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Maulana Yasoob Abbas, Engineer Hilal Ahmad War, Bilal Lone, Fazl-ul-Haq Qureshi, and Mukhtar Ahmad Waza will not participate in Pakistan Day function today, which ultimately questions the hollow resolve of separatists groups for the people of Kashmir. Hurriyat leaders, cowardly backing out of the event again signifies India’s success in taking control of the narrative coupled with further robust steps to develop the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Firm resolve of the Indian government to address terrorism in Kashmir is bearing fruits, with the ‘stone pelting’ Hurriyat cadre discouraged, top Hurriyat leadership is also in a fix. India, in the past, had also disapproved of the Pakistani leadership indulging in discourse with separatist leaders. Last year India had objected vociferously to Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi telephoning separatist groups before an event in London to mark Islamabad’s hollow solidarity with the Kashmir’s so-called movement for freedom. Pakistani deep state has been systematically using proxies in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to disrupt developmental projects and incite violence. Pakistan’s insistence on holding talks with separatist groups has sabotaged the talks at least two times in the past.

With Hurriyat leaders cowardly backing out of the event, the Indian government has once again exposed the true nature of separatist forces operating the region. Driven by basic power politics and aided by Pakistan, Hurriyat leaders today stand exposed. 23^rd of March marks the National Day in Pakistan in recognition of the passage of the infamous Lahore declaration in 1940 which proposed to divide pre-independence India, based on religious lines.