Hurriyat sacks key leader for talking to Centre

Jammu and Kashmir's moderate separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday suspended Moulvi Abbas Ansari-led Itihadul Muslimeen -- one of its constituents -- for having a meeting with the central government's interlocutors in violation of the conglomerate's directive.

Talking to rediff.com, APHC Chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq said 'Moulvi Abbas, by meeting the interlocutors, had violated the conglomerate's policy decision'.

"We had taken a collective decision not to meet the interlocutors. We are not against the dialogue, but so far the government has not accepted any of our suggestions we had submitted them earlier. We want the dialogue at the appropriate level," the Mirwaiz said.

"In past one year, killings and detentions have increased manifold in Kashmir."

The decision to suspend Moulvi Abbas Ansari, the former chairman of the conglomerate,

came hours after he met the interlocutors at his residence.

Addressing a media conference on Wednesday evening, prominent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar who heads the panel of interlocutors, which also includes Radha Kumar and MM Ansari, confirmed their meeting with Ansari at his residence to 'discuss ways and means to carry forward the dialogue process that would lead to a peaceful settlement in Jammu and Kashmir'.

"The discussion, lasting little over an hour, was conducted in a cordial and constructive spirit," he said.

Padgaonkar said that Ansari informed them that he 'favoured talks with the government of India to arrive at such a settlement and that it had to be held at an appropriate level with representatives of the separatist groups and in presence of interlocutors appointed by the Centre'.

Ansari, during his talks with the interlocutors, hoped that the government would allow the leaders of the moderate APHC to visit Pakistan.