Kashmir lawmaker Rasheed will resign from Assembly, to join Kashmir Hurriyat

Rasheed made the remarks during a press conference in Srinagar in response to Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s call to pro-India politicians to join the Hurriyat.

“It is not time to  blame each other but work for resolution of Kashmir dispute and stop New Delhi from its utterances and efforts...it is indulged in changing the dispute nature of J&K,” said Rasheed.

He said Geelani’s appeal carried significance, relevance and sincere voices need to respond.

“During last eight years, I have met Geelani on frequent occasion[s] and offered him support from our side, which he has also endorsed through his statement some three years before,” he said.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, he said, has recently said that “Er. Rasheed is already working for fulfilling aspirations and sentiments of people”.

“As such sincere offer of Geelani should be taken seriously by all saner voices. In fact New Delhi’s designs to make Kashmiris go defensive by snatching special status needs concrete, united and strategic approach,” he added.

He appealed to former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah not to carry out personal attacks on Geelani and others for the “larger interest of Kashmiris at this stage.”

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)