| Sensing cold response from Pak, Sajad Lone skips Amanullah Khan's funeral | | | Early Times Report
srinagar, Apr 26: Sensing trouble in getting visa for visit to Pakistan, Peoples Conference (PC) Chairman Sajad Lone has decided to skip the funeral of his father-in-law and JKLF co-founder Amanullah Khan who died in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Sources said even though Lone, who is married to Khan's daughter Asma Khan, had been spending time with his family in New Delhi, the separatist-turned-mainstream leader decided not to apply for visa, though the Pakistani embassy falls in the national capital itself and it would have been easy for him to file the application.
Lone, who is also MLA Handwara, has decided to fly to Srinagar for special condolence meetings, which may stretch to traditional four days.
Since last year, Pakistan has been denying visa to mainstream leaders from Kashmir. In February 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party had to face "major embarrassment" in Kashmir when its top leader Naeem Akhter's visa application was thrown in the dustbin.
Ahead of forming alliance with the rightwing BJP, PDP wanted to send its envoy to Pakistan. Akhtar was scheduled to attend a track II meet in the neighbouring country in February last year. But following denial of visa, Akhter felt embarrassed asking Pakistan to explain its position.
"They must explain why I was denied a visa. I was to attend a Track 2 meet there. They have not even communicated this to me. This was the first time I was going to Pakistan," Akhter had said. But there came no reply.
Since then, the mainstream leaders in Kashmir strongly believe that Pakistan won't grant them visa, while Sajad who has earlier visited the neighbouring country, seems to be holding the same opinion now.
While Pakistan hints at holding the opinion that "only the separatists are the true representatives of Kashmir", the neighbouring country often showed soft corner towards the mainstream National Conference. The NC leaders, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah were time and again granted visa. Dr Farooq on the other hand happens to be seen as a yesteryear "friend" of Aman Ullah Khan and would even meet him on occasions.
Sajad's wife, Asma Khan Lone, who lives in the national capital, had left for Pakistan for days back to attend her ailing father who breathed his last at a hospital this morning.
However a senior Peoples Conference leader said Sajad was yet to decide on visit to Pakistan. "He is travelling to Srinagar, and will subsequently decide on visit to Pakistan," the PC leader said. |
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