Pakistan confers highest civilian award to Geelani

Pakistan President Arif Alvi conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan on 90-year-old Geelani in absentia as the country celebrated its 74th Independence Day on Friday.

Islamabad: Pakistan conferring its highest civilian award on hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani clearly shows that Islamabad supports separatism in Kashmir, a senior BJP leader said on Friday.

"This award clearly shows Pakistan supports terrorism and separatism in Kashmir," senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Kavinder Gupta said.

"It also establishes that terrorism and anti-national elements in Kashmir are funded by Pakistan. It would be advisable that those receiving such honours from Pakistan should stay in that country only," Gupta said.

Last month, Senate of Pakistan had passed a resolution, lauding Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, calling on the government to confer him with the country's highest civil award"Nishan-e-Pakistan".

PTI