Ahead of Indo-Pak foreign ministers meet in New Delhi on Wednesday, Pakistan Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Tuesday met both the Hurriyat Conference factions during which the separatists sought Islamabad's intervention for release of Ghulam Nabi Fai arrested in US for being a front of Inter Services Intelligence.
While the delegation led by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani did not appear enthused about the talks, the moderate faction led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq welcomed the exercise saying the talks were necessary for resolving all issues.
Both the factions, who had separate meetings with Khar, may not see eye to eye with each other on various issues related to Kashmir but were unanimous in seeking Pakistan's intervention for release of Fai.
According to FBI, Fai used to organise conferences in the US on Kashmir for which huge amounts of money was pumped in by Pakistan's military-run snooping agency ISI.
Indian investigators believe that Fai used to pass on funds to seperatists groups opearting in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, talking about Wednesday's talks, Farooq said, "We support the dialogue between the two countries... Kashmir issue has to be addressed in accordance with the wishes and aspiration of the people of Kashmir. It is important and imperative for the Kashmir leadership to be part of the discourse".
He said, "We are happy about the meeting and we hope that they can take the process forward and that they will see to it that the road to peace, the road to development, the road to a better and brighter future in South Asia leads through Kashmir."
Farooq also said he was not averse to talks with the Centre provided they withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, pull army back into barracks besides meetin certain other demands.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan foreign ministry said in a statement that Khar assured Geelani that "Pakistan's principled position on Jammu and Kashmir is based on the realisation by the Kashmiri people of their right to self determination..."