Geelani applies for US visa

Armed with a letter of recommendation from the government of India, ailing Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani went to the US embassay on Monday morning to apply for visa for treatment in one of the specialist hospitals in United States.

"Syed Geelani saheb has applied for US visa and now let us wait for the outcome," Iftikar Geelani, son in law of the 78-year-old Kashmiri leader told rediff.com. Iftikar is bureau chief of Kashmir Times in New Delhi.

Following intervention from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the ministry of external affairs issued him a passport to Geelani so that he could travel for treatment of his illness abroad.

The passport was issued to him in Srinagar on Friday in his absence. Dr Sunil Kaul, of Apollo Hospital had recommended that Syed Ali Shah Geelani should travel abroad for treatment.

Though the government of India has offered to pick up his medical bills, Geelani has not responded to the prime minister's offer.