Pakistanis protest as Rajnath reaches Islamabad for SAARC meet

Islamabad: Chief of Kashmiri separatist group Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin, on Wednesday led a protest against Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is in the Pakistani capital to attend a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) conference on drugs, terrorism and human trafficking.

Accusing Singh of the Kashmir unrest, over 2,000 members of various extremist and terror groups were gathered outside the ‘Benazir Bhutto International Airport’ in Islamabad to protest against his visit.

Singh was not even spared at the venue of the two-day summit and a score of people were seen up in arms about his presence in the country on a road outside the spot.

“The Home Minister is not going to hold any private meetings with political figures of Pakistan. In fact, his visit to the country is only aimed at attending the 19th SAARC summit,” Union Minister of State Kiren Rijiju said while talking to media persons.

It may be mentioned that Hafiz Saeed, the chief of terrorist organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa, had warned of countrywide protest in Pakistan if Singh attends the SAARC ministerial conference.

• Singh is likely to raise the issue of Pakistan’s support to terror groups operating in India.
• His visit comes after Pakistan PM Nawaz Shareef declared the encounter killing of terrorist Burhan Wani as martyrdom.
• Burhan Wani, a terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed on July 8.
• Earlier, Pakistan has assured for the security of Rajnath Singh.
• The 19^th SAARC summit is being held in the Islamabad .

Leaving for Islamabad to attend the SAARC HM Conference. This Conference provides a platform to discuss issues pertaining to security.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) 3 August 2016

Looking forward to underscore the imperative of meaningful cooperation within the region against terrorism and organised crime.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) 3 August 2016