Kashmiri separatist leaders freed hours after house detention

According to a Spokesman of the  Mirwaiz Group, the seize on their residences was lifted at around 11 30 am.

According to a report by NDTV, three separatist  leaders- Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq-were placed under house arrest and then freed.

The house arrest of the leaders  is being seen as an attempt to prevent them from meeting with Pakistani security advisor Sartaj Aziz.

The separatist leaders accepted an invitation  from  the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for a a meeting with Sartaj Aziz who is scheduled hold with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval in New Delhi on August 23. Counterpart.

Shahid-ul-Islam, a spokesman of Hurriyat (M) and political advisor of the Mirwaiz group,  said :Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Moulana Abbas Ansari were placed under house arrest. We have every reason to believe that the motive is to preventthem from meeting Sartaj Aziz in New Delhi."

Pakistan's invitation to the Kashmiri separatist leaders for a meeting with Aziz has sent ripples across the political circle in
India, which, however, will go ahead with the prgramme for NSA-level talks  viewing the Pak move as an attempt to irritate India and derail the conference.

Last July, India called off talks after Pakistan consulted Kashmiri separatists before a meeting  of  Foreign Secretaries.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticised the government move in tweets, though his father and senior National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah took a different stand.

"I've never seen an Indo-Pak dialogue where both sides are so keen to sabotage it. India & Pak competing to give reasons to call off talks,".Omar tweets.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)