Pakistan must ensure SAARC HMs' meet not affected by protests, say defence experts

New Delhi, Aug. 3 (ANI): With NIA's most wanted terrorist Hizb-ul-Mujahideen head Syed Salahudeen taking to the streets in Islamabad protesting against Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to attend the seventh SAARC Home Ministers' conference, defence experts on Wednesday called on the Pakistan Government to ensure that the conference does not get affected by such protests. Brushing aside the seriousness of the protest, Raj Kadyan said it is a democratic right, however, he asked the Pakistan Government to make sure that the protest does not escalate and cause embarrassment to the dignitaries, especially to the Indian Home Minister. "Protest in a democracy is a normal right, even in our country they keep taking place, but anything beyond that needs to be careful. If, in case, our Home Minister is either, in anyway, inconvenienced or insulted, Pakistan would be held fully responsible," he told ANI. However, another defence expert, Rahul Jallai accused the Pakistan Government of being hand in gloves with the terrorists, while criticising the government for failing to contain the protest. "It was foregone conclusion that the protest will take place, but the responsibility of the Pakistani government was to see that these protests did not happen. The fact that they allowed, it just goes to show the manner in which, the government is hand in glove with these leaders of terrorism, who live and occupy Pakistani's public place and unfortunately dictating Pakistan's policy as far as fighting terrorism is concerned," he said. Earlier today, Salahudeen, who is one of the most wanted terrorists in the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) list, held a massive rally in Islamabad to mark protest against Indian Home Minister's visit at the SAARC conference. He warned the Indian government that until the Kashmir Valley was free from the presence of Indian forces, jihad in Kashmir would continue. The Home Minister, in his speech at the two-day meeting, is expected to raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups operating in India and ask Islamabad to check Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and other groups based in that country. Singh is also likely to raise the issue of fake Indian currency notes being circulated at the behest of Pakistani agencies. The External Affairs Ministry has made it clear that there will be no bilateral meeting between the Home Minister and Pakistani leaders. The visit comes in the backdrop of growing strain in the Indo-Pak ties after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of a militant's killing on the 8th of last month. The Home Minister will return to New Delhi tomorrow after the meeting.(ANI)