Islamabad /Feb, 3: Courting a diplomatic row over his telephonic conversation with Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq the Pakistan Foreign Shah Mahmood Qureshi called up Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani discussed twith him the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir , said a media report on Sunday.
The Sunday Express while quoting its sources said Qureshi and Geelani had an “in-depth discussion” on the deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the “gross human rights violations” in Kashmir.
Last week, Qureshi and Mirwaiz had a telephonic conversation during which the former briefed the Hurriyat (M) chairman about the Pakistan’s efforts to highlight the alleged rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir.
Qureshi had also invited Mirwaiz to the UK Parliament where Kashmir human rights abuses are being discussed on Kashmir solidarity Day in a seminar.
The phone conversations between Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Hurriyat leaders are unusual, and New Delhi had earlier summoned Pakistan’s envoy over what it called “direct interference” in India’s internal affairs.
While there was no official response to the phone conversation, India had warned Pakistan of “implications” if they did not desist from such actions.
This had been conveyed by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood Wednesday night, after Qureshi’s phone conversation with Mirwaiz Tuesday.
In tit-for-tat, Pakistan had then summoned India envoy in Islamabad to protest the summoning of Pakistan’s envoy in New Delhi.
