Nawaz Sharif invites Geelani to Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairperson Syed Ali Shah Geelani to that country, the Hurriyat said here on Saturday after a letter was handed over by the Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit to him.

"Paying rich tributes to the resolve, determination, commitment, straight forwardness and sacrifices of Geelani, Prime Minister, Pakistan in his letter said 'your character and your actions are guiding principles for the coming generations of the Kashmir and I am inviting you to Pakistan so that I too can gain something from your views on the present situations. Hope that you will spare time to visit Pakistan at the earliest'," the Hurriyat said in a statement.

Pakistan High Commissioner Basit had invited Geelani to his New Delhi residence on Saturday to hand over Sharif's letter to him.

"On this occasion the deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan and other high commission officials were also present, while as personal secretary to Geelani, Peer Saifullah, secretary public relation Altaf Ahmad Shah and Hurriyat spokesperson Ayaz Akbar also participated in the function," the statement said.

The Hurriyat statement added that Geelani accepted Pakistan's invitation and said, "after Almighty Allah, Pakistan is the only visible hope for Kashmiris who openly supports the Kashmir cause and advocates it on the international forums".