Delhi HC to hear plea against Farooq Abdullah for his 'PoK belongs to Pakistan' statement tomorrow

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday agreed to hear a PIL seeking action against National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for his reported controversial remarks on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). [caption id=“attachment_3809787” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah. Reuters[/caption] A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and C Hari Shankar listed the matter for Tuesday after the counsel for the petitioner sought urgent hearing of the plea. The bench earlier declined to hear the matter on Mondayt itself saying there was no “crisis” or urgency. “It cannot be done on Monday. Why can’t it wait for Tuesday or Wednesday,” the bench told the petitioner. The plea, filed by Delhi-based Maulana Ansar Raza who claims to be a social activist, has sought “immediate investigation” and “arrest” of the Srinagar MP alleging that he has favoured Pakistan and insulted India. It has alleged that Abdullah has been making “such controversial remarks and statements by which the nation and its people feel ashamed of such persons being Indian citizens”. The petition, filed through lawyer Nawal Kishore Jha, has said the National Conference chief should be tried for penal offences including sedition and treason under the IPC and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau be also asked to probe the entire issue. Abdullah had on 11 November said that PoK belonged to Pakistan and “this won’t change” no matter how many wars India and Pakistan fight. “I tell them in plain terms – not only the people of India, but also to the world – that the part (of Jammu and Kashmir) which is with Pakistan (PoK) belongs to Pakistan and this side to India. This won’t change. Let them fight how many wars they want to. This won’t change,” Abdullah had said.