New Delhi, April 17
The two factions of the Hurriyat Conference met the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, here today. The moderate group led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq expressed its appreciation of the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), while the hardline leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani termed these as “concessions to India”.
The two groups, who seemed lukewarm to efforts by Pakistan to forge unity between them, met General Musharraf separately. The General also met JKLF leader Yasin Malik and JKDFP leader Shabir Shah.
Describing the 90-minute meeting with General Musharraf as “very good,” the Mirwaiz who led a four-member delegation, later said they conveyed their support to the CBMs but
emphasised that the Kashmir problem should be resolved according to wishes of the people by involving them in the peace process. He said no lasting solution to the issue can be found without involving the Kashmiris. The Mirwaiz said leaders from both sides of Kashmir should be taken into confidence in resolving the vexed issue.
“The peace process is going in the right direction but it has certain weaknesses,” he said.
The Mirwaiz said the Hurriyat Conference favoured opening all those roads across the LoC and international border which were lying been closed since 1947. “The roads should be opened to trade,” he said.
On the Pakistan efforts to forge unity among the Hurriyat factions, the Mirwaiz said it was an internal matter of the conglomerate. “Though we are trying for unity, but the peace process will not become hostage to lack of unity,” he said.
The Mirwaiz said they expressed their desire to visit the other side of the LoC which was accepted by General Musharraf. He said the “step-by-step approach” adopted by India and Pakistan was the right way to resolve the Kashmir issue. He said had urged for more CBMs, including “release of people languishing in jails for over a decade and an end to human rights abuses.” He said General Musharraf had assured them that he would take up their suggestions with the Indian government.
Asked when they would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Mirwaiz said: “It was up to the Manmohan Singh. We will meet him when he wants.”
Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, at his meeting with General Musharraf, expressed displeasure over the recent CBMs.
Mr Geelani, who led a five-member delegation of his Tehrek-e-Hurriyat, in 90-minute meeting with the General, said the recent action of Pakistan of providing “some concessions to India had created a sense of anxiety among the people.”
In an apparent reference to his rivals, Mr Geelani urged the President to differentiate between “pro-movement and anti-movement” people and not to bank upon those who were out to “sell themselves” for petty political gains.
