Rashid denied visa, says his relatives to move SC

In Islamabad, Ahmed told Reuters he was shocked but it would not affect the peace process. He said his relatives in Srinagar would contest New Delhi’s decision in Supreme Court.

MEA spokesman Navtej Sarna made no formal statement on why Ahmed’s visa application had been turned down. He said the Government processed Sheikh Rashid’s application and ‘‘has declined to accord permission, taking into account all relevant aspects involved.’’

According to sources, Rashid had not furnished in his application any address of relatives whom he wanted to meet, a mandatory requirement. In various statements prior to the denial of visa today, Ahmed had said he looked forward to visiting Kashmir (he claims he is from the state) to meet his relatives.

Following the visit of Hurriyat leaders to other parts of Pakistan after using the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, New Delhi had registered its protest since the service was introduced for families of both cities to be able to meet each other after years of isolation.

New Delhi had earlier taken the opportunity of Malik’s revelation to reiterate its view that Pakistan had not cracked down on the terrorist infrastructure in PoK and that people who aided and abetted insurgents in the past decade continued to enjoy positions of power in Islamabad.