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Hurriyat working committee
discusses talks offer

Broad-based deliberations were held, for the first time since its constitution, by the working committee of the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference Saturday.

The deliberations were held on whether government negotiator K C Pant's peace initiative should be responded to positively by Kashmir's largest political conglomerate of separatists.

The seven executive members led their party delegations, which form the working of the APHC, discussed the talks offer for several hours at the Rajbagh headquarters of the Hurriyat.

Saturday's meeting was chaired by Hurriyat chairman Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat.

"We listened to the views of the working committee members," said Prof Bhat. "On Monday, we will have detailed discussions with general council members."

Bhat said the APHC executive, after deliberations with 23 general council members, will meet for a final decision on whether to hold talks with Pant. "A final decision will be taken by the APHC executive after consultations are completed," Bhat added.

A three-member committee of the APHC executive, headed by Moulvi Omar Farooq, held simultaneous discussions with other separatist leaders, including Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Ahmad Shah, Mahazi Azadi head Azam Inquilabi and National Front chairman Naeeen Ahmad Khan.

"We will have broad-based discussions before the executive meeting next week with all separatist leaders of the valley," said a source in Hurriyat.

He, however, said Saturday's meeting leaders of various parties pressed the executive members that the Hurriyat team should visit Pakistan before talks with the Indian government.

"We are still listening and a final decision will be taken only after the meeting,'' said Bhat.

Other APHC leaders also kept the deliberations secret and a leader said, "We have decided to go public only after it is discussed in the general council Hurriyat executive."

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