New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Jammu and Kashmir's People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday expelled eight of its party members for meeting the delegation of foreign envoys, who are currently on a visit to Kashmir. The leaders who have been expelled are Dilawar Mir, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Zaffar Iqbal, Abdul Majeed Padroo, Raja Manzoor Khan, Javaid Hussain Baig, Qamar Hussain and Abdul Rahim Rather -- all former MLAs.
In statement released on Thursday evening, the PDP said that the party has decided to expel the eight leaders for "going against the will of the people".
"In view of the development post August 5 and the unilateral move of the government of India which has violated the will and hurt the sentiments of people, it has come to attention of the party that certain party leaders have been part of the parleys which go against the interests of the state, official position and core beliefs of the party," the release read.
Party leader Sohail Bukhari said that the party disciplinary committee has recommended the expulsion of all these leaders from the basic membership of the party.
"Party leadership has recommended expulsion of Dilawar Mir, Rafi Ahmed Mir, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Ch Qamar Hussain, Raja Manzoor, Javaid Beigh, Ab Majeed Padroo and Ab Rahim Rather from basic membership of the party who have been part of the parleys," Bukhari -- quoted by ANI -- said.
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The eight leaders on Thursday met the visiting envoys from 15 countries, who arrived in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit to take a stock of the region. The delegation included envoys from United States of America (USA), Bangladesh, Vietnam, Norway, Maldives, South Korea, Morocco and Nigeria, among others.
This is the first visit by diplomats since August last year when the government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
(With PTI inputs)