General VK Singh attends Pakistan Day celebrations, Kashmiri separatists invited too
New Delhi: Several Indian politicians, including Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (Retd.) VK Singh and Congress veteran leader Mani Shankar Aiyer, were present at the Pakistan Day celebrations at the Islamic Republic's High Commission in New Delhi on Monday.
The former Indian Army chief was seen interacting with the esteemed guests, including Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit.
Aiyer on his part expressed delight to be present at the celebrations, saying it is important to have 'uninterrupted dialogue' with Islamabad in order to resolve the issues between both nations.
"Hope, we will show maturity to undertake uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan without which we won't be able to resolve any issue...It was foolish to break down the dialogue with Pakistan on ground that the High Commissioner met Hurriyat leaders," Aiyer said.
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"The meeting between separatists and the Pakistan High Commission had started during Vajpayee ji's time and it has continued during our times," he added.
The event also witnessed the presence of separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik among others.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. (Photo: ANI Twitter)
Pakistan Day commemorates the Lahore Resolution of 1940 and the adoption of the first constitution of the country during its transition into an Islamic Republic on March 23, 1956.
Hitting out at Pakistan for the statement that India has no objection to invitation to Hurriyat leaders to its National Day celebrations here, Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said, "The Government of India prefers to speak for itself".
"Having repeated it on so many occasions there should be no scope for misunderstanding or misrepresenting India's position on the role of the so called Hurriyat.
"Let me reiterate there are only two parties and there is no place for a third party in resolution of India-Pakistan issues. The only way forward to proceed on all outstanding issues is a peaceful bilateral dialogue within the framework of Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration," the MEA Spokesperson said, earlier in the day.
