‘Do We Appoint Ministers After Consulting Pak’: Omar Abdullah On Appointment Of Yasin Malik's Wife

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the appointment of JKLF chief Yasin Malik's wife as a special advisor to Pakistan's newly appointed caretaker prime minister was their internal matter.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said India has got nothing to do with the neighbouring country appointing ministers in their country. ( Image Source :PTI )

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the appointment of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yasin Malik's wife as a special advisor to Pakistan's newly appointed caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar was their internal matter. His comments have come after Malik’s wife Mishal Hussain Malik, who is a Pakistani national, was appointed special advisor to Pakistan's PM on human rights and women empowerment. He said India has got nothing to do with the neighbouring country appointing ministers in their country, reported news agency PTI.

He was quoted as saying by PTI: "Do we appoint ministers after consulting Pakistan? Why should we expect them to consult us before appointing their ministers? This is their internal matter and we have got nothing to do with it."

Speaking to reporters at party headquarters in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah also refused to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s claim on China occupying Indian territory in Ladakh. Without getting dragged into the war of words between the opposition Congress and the government over the matter, he said Rahul will answer this question.

"Rahul Gandhi will answer this. What have I got to do with it? Ask him this question. Obviously, his colleagues there (in Ladakh) must have told him about the issue. What can I say about what the PM or Rahul Gandhi said? I am not there in Ladakh,” he remarked, as quoted by PTI.

He spoke on a range of other issues including the upcoming local elections and the party’s election symbol. Commenting on the National Conference's election symbol in the Hill Council elections in Ladakh, Abdullah said he was hopeful that the party will emerge victorious even if the matter went to the Supreme Court.

"We have now got used to fighting against this government. Under the pressure of BJP, the Ladakh administration is compelled to approach the court again and again. We want our symbol on which we want to contest elections. Why does the Ladakh administration have objection to it?” he said, as per PTI.

He stressed that his party went to HC, where the single-judge bench decided in their favour. They filed a 300-page appeal before a Division Bench, we succeeded there as well. 

Talking further about local elections in the erstwhile state, he said the "big question" today was why the BJP was scared of holding the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir when all other polls could be conducted.

He remarked, "The big question is if ULB, Panchayat and Parliament elections can be held, why not for the assembly? Why is BJP running away from assembly polls? Why are they scared? They should come and face the people.”