Kashmiri Pandit groups demand probe into ISI,separatists links

Washington, Aug 15 (PTI) A number of groups of Kashmiri
Pandits have come together to demand that the Indian
government set up a commission of enquiry to probe links
between ISI and Kashmiri separatists, following the recent
arrest of Ghulam Nabi Fai in the US.
Fai, a Kashmiri separatist, has been charged by the FBI
with being an unregistered agent of the ISI in the US and is
currently under house arrest.
The groups also asked the US to expunge all resolutions
on Kashmir initiated in the US Congress by Congressman and
Senators who have received lobbying money from Fai or his
Kashmiri American Council allegedly funded by ISI of Pakistan.
A resolution passed by the groups said the Indian
government needs to work closely with FBI to probe the
linkages between Fai and the ISI within Kashmir, especially
the separatist leaders.
Attended by people from several countries, and delegates
from India who attended through tele conferences, the meeting
also passed a resolution urging the Indian government to seek
Fai's extradition after his case ends in the US.
"A similar inquiry should be conducted to probe similar
linkage with Kashmir Council in UK and Brussels," it said.
Sponsors of the conference call were All India Kashmir
Samaj, J&K Vichar Manch, Panun Kashmir, Roots in Kashmir,
Diversity USA, Indo Canadian Kashmir Forum, International
Kashmir Federation, Indo European Kashmir Forum, and prominent
Kashmiri Pandits.
"The July 19 arrest of this US-based Pakistani agent of
Kashmir origin has closed the chapter of our longstanding
assertion that Pakistan has been behind the insurgency in
Kashmir and it is no movement for independence," Jeevan
Zutshi, chairman, International Kashmir Federation, said.
Referring to Fai's activities for over 20 years, Aditya
Raj Kaul of 'Roots in Kashmir' Australia said: "I do not think
Americans could have been fooled for all these twenty-five
years."