M A I N   N E W S

Bilal not averse to talks with other groups
Prashant Sood
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 11
The Centre’s move to invite People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone for talks as part of its efforts to widen the dialogue process on the vexed Kashmir problem is likely to cause a rethink among the moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq about its future stance.

Though Hurriyat Conference leaders have said they find nothing wrong in the Centre talking to more groups in Kashmir, there are indications that the amalgam will convene a meeting of its executive council shortly to take stock of the recent developments and decide its next course.

Talking to The Tribune, Hurriyat Conference leader Bilal Lone said they were not opposed to the inclusion of other groups in the dialogue process. He said the Hurriyat Conference would welcome if Mr Sajjad Lone “achieves something in talks”.

The offer of talks to Mr Sajjad Lone is being seen as a rebuff to the Hurriyat Conference that has of late been echoing the suggestions made by Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. The delegation of the Hurriyat Conference, which returned after a visit to Pakistan and PoK recently, had termed Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s suggestions of “self-governance” and “demilitarisation” as positive. The Hurriyat leaders even indicated that they would raise these suggestions in the next round of talks with the Prime Minister. The leaders had also said the Centre had not been following up on its promises made to them in the first round of talks and the pace of dialogue was slow.

Sources said it had been indicated to the Hurriyat to discuss its fresh proposals on the Kashmir issue with senior government officials before the next round of talks with the Prime Minister. The first round of talks between the Centre and Mirwaiz-led APHC was held on September 5.

The sources said the government was inclined to broadbase the dialogue process and include other separatist leaders, including Mr Shabir Shah. The hardline section led by Syed Ali Geelani has also been sounded about talks through back channels but the response has not been positive.

Mr Sajjad Lone, who is the first leader outside the Hurriyat Conference to be invited for talks by the Centre, said from Srinagar that the move was positive. He said the dialogue should be made more inclusive by including “more relevant people”. He said his late father Abdul Ghani Lone had first advocated the process of dialogue for resolving the problem.

“By participating in the talks, we are walking on his footsteps,” Mr Sajjad Lone said.