Tribune News ServiceSrinagar, January 18
The five-member delegation of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference is going ahead with the scheduled talks with Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in Delhi on Thursday. It has already held a series of negotiations with representatives of a cross section of society. The general council and executive committee gave the go ahead signal to the APHC here on Thursday last.
Moulvi Abbas Ansari, Chairman of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, told The Tribune here this evening that the delegation would put forth its agenda before the government at the proposed meeting. He said it would also convey to the Central Government its desire to go to Pakistan and talk to the political and militant leadership there for their role in restoring peace and an amicable solution to the Kashmir problem.
When asked about its plan of action if the Centre did not allow it to visit Pakistan the APHC Chairman said an appropriate decision would be taken at that stage. However, he added the Hurriyat would not like to break the talks, as it was the only solution to resolve the Kashmir problem.
The Hurriyat, Moulvi Abbas said, would also impress upon the government to effect a unilateral ceasefire with militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Such a ceasefire had already been announced by the Central Government twice over the past three years. “We will persuade the leadership in Pakistan to take similar measures for an amicable solution to the Kashmir problem.
Moulvi Abbas held that the people living on either side of the border had heaved a sigh of relief with the announcement of the ceasefire on the border. But, he added, no such steps had been taken by the government in Jammu and Kashmir, where people continued to suffer a lot.
Moulvi Abbas Ansari has been provided with security following the Hurriyat decision to enter into negotiations with the Central Government. Other leaders including the former chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Lone brothers have already been provided security cover.
