Rashid's travel permit to J&K rejected

Pak minister's request to travel on June 30 was rejected due to his terror links.

The government on Friday rejected Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid's request to travel to Jammu and Kashmir by Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus on June 30.

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The government has declined to accord permission to Sheikh Rashid to visit Jammu and Kashmir taking into account "all relevant aspects involved," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

Sarna said the government processed Sheikh Rashid's application and "has declined to accord permission taking into account all relevant aspects involved."

The spokesman did not give any further details but it is understood that Rashid has been declined the permission because the government has taken serious note of reports that his farm house was used for training Kashmiri terrorists.

According to sources, Rashid had not even furnished in his application any address of relatives whom he wanted to meet, a mandatory requirement.

Following revelation by JKLF leader Yasin Malik in Pakistan that Rashid had organised a training camp in 1988-89 for 3500 terrorists at his farm house near Rawalpindi, Government had reacted sharply saying it was a matter of great concern.

New Delhi had held that it was particularly serious that "people directly involved in such activities continue to occupy high positions in Pakistan".