'Brave' Rajnath Singh visits Islamabad despite threat from Hafiz Saeed

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday arrived in Islamabad to attend the SAARC Interior Ministers' conference on August 4 despite threats from LeT founder Hafiz Saeed.

Rajnath Singh. Pic/PTI

Singh is expected to raise the issue of most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and cross border terrorism.

Singh, who is on his maiden visit to Pakistan, was accompanied by a delegation comprising officials from his ministry and external affairs.

Rajnath Singh arrives in Islamabad. Pic/TV grab

Before leaving for Islamabad to attend the day-long SAARC Home Ministers Conference, the Home Minister said he was "looking forward to underscore the imperative of meaningful cooperation within the region against terrorism and organised crime."

Pic/AFP

More than 2,000 activists of various religious and jihadi outfits in Pakistan protested against the visit of Indian home minister Rajnath Singh, accusing him for the unrest in Kashmir.

Activists of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Hizbul Mujahideen, United Jihad Council (UJC) and other such group protested to denounce Singh's trip to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ministerial conference being hosted by Pakistan.

Pakistani Kashmiri protesters torch an Indian flag as they block a main highway ahead of the arrival of Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Islamabad on August 3, 2016, to protest his vist to Pakistan to attend the SAARC Home Ministers' conference. Pic/AFP

On Tuesday, a JuD caravan led by Talha Saeed, the son of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, had staged a sit-in at the Line of Control near Chakothi in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), where they were stopped by Pakistani security forces. The protesters on Wednesday continued their sit-in, demanding that India receives relief materials brought by them for Kashmiris.

Earlier, Hafiz Saeed has warned the government that Singh's presence in Islamabad may create 'unrest' among Kashmiris as well as Pakistanis in the face of scores of killings in Kashmir.

Hindu Sena activists staging a protest against Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for his visit to Pakistan, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

His visit to Pakistan was strongly condemned by right wing organisation Hindu Sena who staged protest at Jantar Mantar on New delhi on Tuesday.