Hurriyat leaders' Pak visit hits roadblock

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference leaders' plan to visit Pakistan early next month has hit a roadblock with the Regional Passport Office in Srinagar saying it has run out of travel forms for the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service.

With only a week left for the leaders to board the June 2 bus, the usual 15-day duration for travel form verification may also add to their woes.

Asked if the Hurriyat leaders would be allowed to board the bus, Regional Passport Officer S L Sreeramlu said there are certain verification processes that need to be followed.

"Nobody applies to us with preference for travel on a particular date. There is a list prepared on first-come-first-served

basis which has to be followed," he added.

Sreeramlu said the list of passengers to travel on the June 2 bus is almost complete.

He, however, added that he would oblige to accommodate the Hurriyat leaders in the list if the Centre issued specific instructions.

The moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, had on Wednesday accepted Pakistan's invitation to visit that country.

However, the hardline faction of APHC led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has said it would take a decision on visiting Pakistan by the end of this week.