This has come a week before the completion of one year of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories

Srinagar: In what appears to be an act of insult to India, terror-haven Pakistan on Tuesday awarded its highest civilian honour – ‘Nishaan-e-Pakistan’ – to Kashmiri Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

This has come a week before the completion of one year of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

Geelani had resigned on June 29 from the faction of the Hurriyat Conference – Tehreek-e-Hurriyat – he had floated in 2003 citing “rebellion against leadership” by cadres.

“He (Geelani) has written a detailed letter to Hurriyat members in which he said, given the present situation within the Hurriyat Conference, he is completely dissociating himself from the platform,” Geelani’s spokesperson said in a press statement.

Geelani had reportedly said that he was unhappy with Hurriyat members for staying quiet over the decisions of Centre that are being implemented in the Valley, such as the abrogation of Article 370.