JAMMU, Dec 16 — The executive committee of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is meeting in Srinagar tomorrow to decide about the conglomerate’s future strategy in the light of peace parleys having made no headway.
The Chairman, APHC, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, said, “The meeting is important but not crucial” in reply to a question. He said he would not allow the APHC to “break” and there was no reason for a split in the organisation.
He said several issues would be discussed, including Mr Abdul Gani Lone’s visit to Pakistan and occupied Kashmir. The Syed Ali Shah Geelani faction in the APHC had, according to inside reports, protested against some statements Mr Lone had issued in Pakistan which included his interview with the Washington Post. At one stage the Geelani faction had stated that the APHC would summon Mr Lone to explain his stand.
After Mr Lone said in Delhi, soon after his return from Pakistan, that he had not said anything which was against the basic stand of the APHC and he had the courage to face his critics, his detractors in Srinagar procured a copy of the Washington Post. They were satisfied with the statement of Mr Lone who had simply said that the foreign mercenaries could not impose their religious hue to “our political movement.”
Reports said Professor Bhat had called on Mr Lone soon after he returned to Srinagar and the two had a detailed discussion. Professor Bhat is said to have suggested to Mr Lone not to precipitate the matters during the executive committee meeting. The APHC Chairman has been in constant touch with other members of the executive committee so that all traces of misunderstanding were removed.
However, Professor Bhat did not have an alarming view of the opinion among some members of the APHC. “we are not allowed to promote democratic culture,” he said, adding that “If some of us differ on some issues, it does not mean we have parted company.”
According to reports available here, the Awami Action Committee chief, Molvi Umar Farooq, too was busy in ironing out differences among some Hurriyat members. These reports
said that the Maulana was a bit surprised when Syed Ali Shah Geelani did not accept his invitation to address a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid yesterday. Professor Bhat attended the congregation where he addressed the gathering.
The ceasefire announcement had further widened the distance between Syed Ali Shah Geelani and four other members of the Hurriyat executive. At present Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Sheikh Azia, who represents Peoples’ League in the APHC were on one side of the fence and Molvi Umar Farooq, Abdul Gani Lone, Mohammad Yasin Malik and Prof Abdul Gani Bhat on the other side. The seventh member, Molvi Abbas Ansari, was neutral though at the time of poll for electing the chairman of the APHC he had supported Professor Bhat who had been fielded by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Out of the seven members five were for persuing the peace process for which Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee had declared the unilateral ceasefire. The two other members, Mr Geelani and Sheikh Aziz were for tripartite talks and that too to be held in Srinagar.
As such tomorrow’s meeting was expected to be stormy and a clearcut decision about the strategy of the APHC was unlikely to be finalised in view of the divergent attitude of the members. But Professor Bhat seemed determined to keep the flock together.
