Abdul Basit rejects Indian allegations against Hurriyat leadership

DELHI: Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit, in an interview to Indian media, has rejected all allegations of funding the Hurriyat leadership.

Basit, in an interview to India Today, said he termed all the allegations regarding the Hurriyat, involving tapes and terror funding, false, adding, “…this is not the first time that we have seen such allegations against the Hurriyat leadership. Such allegations were made in the past as well but nobody could substantiate or prove them. I'm confident this time too that all these allegations would disappear, dissipate”, he added.

He rubbished all charges by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against the Kashmiri people saying that these were attempts to 'malign' them and that there is no truth to the allegations.

In response to a question by the Indian media outlet, Basit said it is unfair to say that Pakistan is being colonised by China. 

He described China and Pakistan as "very close friends."

Basit responded to a question about the Supreme Court’s ruling that disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding any public office by saying, “This only reflects that democracy is finally taking root in Pakistan. Sharif went through a judicial process and tomorrow we will have a new prime minister elected. Democracy seems to be strengthening by the day.” 

This report originally appeared in The News.