Srinagar: Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Monday demanded the merger of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan, as leaders of the moderate Hurriyat faction spoke about independence and a dialogue over the state. Addressing a mammoth gathering at the tourist reception centre here, Gillani said there was "no solution to the Kashmir issue other than merger with Pakistan".If you sometimes lose track of who's who at the Islamic zoo, Gilani's an old-line Jamaat-e-Islami boy who's been thumping this tub since at least 1950. He's head of the All Parties Hurriyet Conference. He's got a heart condition and we denied him entry to the U.S. for treatment about a year ago. I was hoping he'd be dead by now, but no such luck.
"We are Pakistanis and Pakistan is us because we are tied with the country through Islam," he roared, as the crowd cheered him and chanted: "Hum Pakistani hain, Pakistan hamara hai" (We are Pakistanis, Pakistan is ours).
"Tomorrow belongs to me!"
Taking a dig at the moderate Hurriyat leaders who shared the stage with him, Gillani said the leadership issue of the Kashmiri separatist movement was "solved today".
"I'm in charge now, by Gar!"
"Do you have faith in my leadership? I will be faithful to you till my death and will carry everyone along," he said, as the crowd applauded him shouting in unison "zaroor" (certainly).
Right. If I lived in Kashmire, I'd be sure to put all my faith in Gilani, so that I, too, could be carried along to his impending demise. Wotta promise.