rediff.com: Division in Hurriyat over team to Pakistan

The All-Parties Hurriyat Conference is yet to make a formal response to the Centre's peace initiative, while the stalemate continues over the composition of its team to visit Pakistan for talks with the extremists and others.

Hurriyat insiders say a consensus is yet to be arrived at on the team's composition, though indications are that APHC chairman Abdul Gani Butt, former chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yaseen Malik may go.

But firebrand Jamaat-e-Islami chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani is apparently putting pressure on the Hurriyat leadership to include him in the delegation.

Recently, according to the insiders, Canada-based Kashmiri leader Mushtaq Geelani and London-based separatist Ayub Thakur had a "word" with Geelani and asked him to press for his inclusion.

But informed sources in the government said no clearance had been given to issue travel documents to Geelani as he had not applied for them.

They also pointed out that the separatist organisations, including the Hurriyat Conference, had not yet formulated any concrete plan in response to the government's peace initiative.

The Hurriyat executive is scheduled to meet this week to choose the team for Pakistan, but the insiders maintained that the task would be difficult in view of the stand of the Geelani loyalists.

Geelani is believed to have conveyed to other members of the APHC executive that their efforts would not end militancy in the state.

Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami has also made it clear that Geelani must be included in the team. But the insiders said Butt would try to resolve the dispute as he enjoys the support of Malik, People's Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone and the Mirwaiz.

Butt had categorically stated that the key to ending militancy in the state lies in the hands of the Hurriyat leaders and they should be allowed to visit Pakistan to "hold talks with our boys with guns".

Following this, the Centre gave clearance for issuing travel documents to four Hurriyat leaders. The Mirwaiz already has the required documents.

The decision was taken last week after Hurriyat leaders at a meeting decided to send a delegation to Pakistan on January 15 to initiate a dialogue with the leaders of the terrorists and other political leaders there.


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