Pro-Pakistan hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had a surprise visitor last evening at his home - chief information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah - who discussed the present political situation in Jammu and Kashmir with him.
"It was nothing but only a courtesy call. Since he has been unwell and underwent an eye surgery recently, I thought of visiting him," Habibullah, who will be heading the RTI watchdog in the militancy-hit state, said here today.
Asked whether he had asked him to join "quiet diplomacy" initiated by Union home minister P Chidambaram with separatist leaders in the state, the 64-year-old bureaucrat laughed and said "I had only gone to pay my regards but yes I did mention to him in passing reference that he should also join.
"But that was purely a suggestion as I have no mandate to ask him to join the dialogue process."
The CIC said the separatist leader had his own views about the government to which "I only said that prime minister Manmohan Singh's government was sincerely trying to find a solution to Kashmir problem."
"To sum up, it was a nice meeting after several months, and a nice treat to Kashmiri Kahawa and Tabakmaaz (fried meat)," Habibullah, who was an IAS officer from the state, said.
The 81-year-old separatist leader is in the national capital for last three weeks and underwent a cataract surgery. He is likely to go for another surgery next month.
