Pak highest civilian award for Geelani

Arun Joshi

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Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 28

The Pakistan senate’s resolution to confer the highest civilian award “ Nishan-e-Pakistan” on Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who had resigned as the chairman of his faction of the Hurriyat Conference in a protest against Islamabad’s interference in his group, is seen as a volte face by the establishment there to appease pro-Pakistan sections in the Valley.

Geelani is quite miffed with Pakistan for replacing his wing of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) in the Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir with that of its own, indicating infighting within the Pakistan establishment. Now, he is being compensated with the highest civilian award that will bracket him in the category of heads of state and governments from time to time.

That Pakistan senate passed the resolution when it is preparing for what it calls “a show of solidarity with Kashmiris” on the Indian side in the post-August 5 era. Pakistan is desperate to regain its lost ground that was represented for years together by Geelani.

August 5, 2019, represented political and diplomatic defeat of Pakistan as it lost its narrative of “Kashmir issue” forever. In desperation, now it is making all attempts to show that it is with the Kashmiris.