He was supposed to speak at the event on Friday where Omar Abdullah and Subramanian Swamy were also invited, organizers say not political but security reasons led to the cancellation
In an interesting turn of event, former president and chief of armed forces of Pakistan General Parvez Musharraf's invite was cancelled at the last moment from the New York University conference 'IndiaPak2016' on Friday where Indian politicians Subramanian Swamy and Omar Abdullah were also invited as the speakers.
With Musharraf, who was the guest of the honour and keynote speaker being dropped, the 'high profile' event is now left with only Indian leaders attending the high profile event thus deflating the “enthusiasm and hype” around it. Swamy and Abdullah are set to attend the event as per schedule and give their speech.
Cancellation of his visit at 11th hour is being viewed as political move by a section of students, teachers and diaspora of both the countries even as there is no statement from Musharraf himself about the development.
Nevertheless, Musharraf has been replaced by Jawed Shaikh, Pakistani actor, producer and activist. While topic of Musharraf’s speech was not disclosed in the original schedule of the program, the fresh schedule which was updated on Thursday says that Shaikh will speak on “Cinema transcending barriers”.
The event which is to be held at Friday evening at 41 Cooper Square, Rose Auditorium of NY Universitycampus has been projected as the “First collegiate conference on India and Pakistan” by the organizers who are the students from both the countries.
The event’s e- brochure promises “in-depth keynote speeches by the region’s top leaders.” Naturally, the interest in the event has surpassed the organizers expectations with three top politicians of the region attending a University event especially amidst the heightened tensions post-surgical strike.
One of the student told DNA, “The Delhi born Musharraf was the guest of the hounor and everyone was looking forward to his speech to understand the Pakistani side of the Kashmir conflict.”
Abdullah, the former CM of Jammu and Kashmir will hold a discussion on future of Kashmir. Swamy will deliver the closing keynote. Hussain Haqqani, former Ambassador to Pakistan is another speaker at the program.
The organizers however claimed that Musharraf’s visit was cancelled due to inadequate security measures.
“Due to a security assessment, we had to cancel his visit. This was not a political issue. The security was not able to accommodate the General,” Sudhanshu Kaushik, one of the organizers told dna in an email response.
While it is surprising that the security assessment was conducted at the last minute leading to abrupt cancellation of such a high profile guest, Kaushik insists, “The assessment was done two days before as we just finalized everything.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Indo Pak 2016, New York University, Omar Abdullah, Parvez Musharraf, Subramanian Swamy, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}