Tuesday, January 10 2006 12:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has defended his decision to allow the pro-Pakistani hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to perform Hajj saying the pilgrimage is necessary for all Muslims.

"He (Geelani) had sought permission to visit Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir and also Hajj pilgrimage. While the first trip was for pure politics, the other one was for religious purpose and there is nothing wrong in that," Azad told sources here.

He said Hajj was one of the five essential things a Muslim has to perform. The other four are fasting during Ramzan, Zakat (distributing alms to poor), Namaz (prayers) and Qurbani (sacrificing lambs on Eid-ul-Azha).

"So, I personally wrote to the Centre that there was nothing wrong for him to perform the pilgrimage," he said and added "going to PoK was disallowed as this would have been purely for political reasons".

Geelani had been applying for the past 15 years for performing the Hajj pilgrimage but none of the previous state Chief Ministers had endorsed his plea.