New Delhi, Sept 19, 2025: Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik has made sensational claims before the Delhi High Court, stating that six successive Indian governments — from the tenure of former Prime Minister V. P. Singh to that of Dr. Manmohan Singh — had engaged him in efforts to resolve the Kashmir conflict.
Malik, who is currently facing trial in a terror funding case filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), filed a detailed written submission contesting the charges and responding to the NIA’s plea seeking the death penalty.
According to Malik, in 2006 he was asked by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to meet Pakistan-based militant leader Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and other militants. Malik stated that the request came directly from then IB Special Director V. K. Joshi. He claimed that he followed the instructions and upon returning to India, met then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan, who reportedly thanked him for the initiative.
Malik also referred to his earlier engagement with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, stating that a key meeting was arranged by IB Director Ajit Doval (now the National Security Advisor) and NSA Brajesh Mishra. He said he was encouraged to support Vajpayee’s Ramzan ceasefire initiative and to mobilize separatist groups for dialogue.
He further highlighted a signature campaign undertaken in 2002, where nearly 1.5 million signatures were collected across Jammu and Kashmir to promote non-violence, democratic participation, and inclusion of Kashmiri leadership in peace talks.
Denying the allegations of genocide and mass sexual violence against Kashmiri Pandits, Malik told the court that such charges were false and politically motivated. “If even one of these accusations is proven, I will hang myself,” he stated in his submission.
Malik argued that meetings and peace efforts undertaken at the behest of the government and intelligence agencies are now being twisted and presented as criminal activities. He said his role was always aligned with promoting dialogue and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, in line with the initiatives of successive governments.
The case is being closely watched as the Delhi High Court considers the NIA’s appeal for the death penalty against Malik, who has already been convicted in a related case. His explosive claims about past engagements with Indian governments and intelligence agencies are likely to spark a wider political and public debate on New Delhi’s past Kashmir strategies.
