PDP legislators ‘threatened’ against allying with BJP

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators have been getting threats from Pakistan against forging an alliance with the rightwing Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), sources said Monday.
According to the sources, a few legislators of PDP have received threats from Pakistan warning them against entering into any tie up with BJP for the government formation in the State.
The sources said some PDP legislators have even reported the issue to Police and officials were discussing the sensitive matter.
However, SSP Srinagar, Amit Kumar said none of the PDP legislators had reported the issue of threats to any of the police stations in his jurisdiction.
The sources said senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader, Abdul Gani Bhat had visited the residence of former chief minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to deliver a similar message.
National Conference Additional General Secretary, Mustafa Kamal said Mufti needed to clear what had transpired in the meeting between him and Hurriyat (M) leader Abdul Gani Bhat.
“As far as my memory is concerned, Mufti has never met Bhat,” Kamal said.
He said the meeting between Bhat and Mufti was also of serious concern as Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani had played down the issue.
“That Geelani sahab attached no significance to such a serious issue is of concern,” Kamal said.
However, Bhat denied that his meeting with Mufti had any tacit connotations or was meant to threaten PDP leadership.
“I don’t have anything to say about it, neither add nor subtract,” Bhat said.
PDP too denied having received any threats from Pakistan, either overt or covert.
PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said he had no information about the threats to PDP legislators.
“None of our legislators brought it to my notice,” Akhtar said.
The sources said before threatening PDP leaders, their rival NC was also threatened against forging any alliance with BJP.
“A courier of Pakistan in Kashmir conveyed the threats to NC leadership against forming a coalition government with BJP,” the sources said.
However, NC General Secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar said he was not in knowhow of any threats that his legislators might have got.
His party leader and NC’s Additional General Secretary, Mustafa Kamal said Pakistan had nothing to do with government formation in the State.
He said certain political parties were leaking reports of threats from Pakistan for their own benefits.
“Mufti is maneuvering things,” Kamal said. “There must be political reasons.”