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Home ministry scrutinising
Hurriyat team composition

The five-member Hurriyat team waiting to go to Pakistan is optimistic that senior party colleague Syed Ali Shah Geelani will get the necessary travel documents, according to Ghulam Mohammed Butt, the party's Delhi deputy bureau chief.

"The Hurriyat has announced the five-member team only after receiving positive signal from the government. At most, the team's departure could be delayed beyond January 15," Butt told rediff.com on Friday.

The ministry of home affairs, which is tight-lipped about the issue, is appraising whether Geelani's presence on the delegation would be in the best interests of the country.

Union Minister of State for Home I D Swami indicated as much, saying, "The government is weighing the pros and cons about which Hurriyat leaders should go to Pakistan."

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jagdish Prasad Mathur was the only one who gave a hint about the government's apprehension about sending Geelani to Pakistan.

"The idea behind having the talks with Pakistan is to find an amicable solution to end the violence in J&K. There are some in the Hurriyat who say that they will persuade Islamabad to stop the violence. But Geelani has his own agenda. He has said that he will congratulate the militant leadership for carrying on jihad (holy war) in J&K," Mathur pointed out.

'Pakistan-watcher' attached to the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis Sreedhar felt that the Hurriyat team's visit to Pakistan was being watched with interest.

He pointed out that the government could not afford to lower its guard considering the experience of Kargil.

The security forces would have to assess whether Pakistan's declaration of talking to New Delhi on J&K was with the intention of gaining time before making another attempt to capture the virtually inaccessible snow-bound heights of the state, he said.

Secondly, it had to be assessed whether an attempt was being made to renew the violence when the snow melts in early April, he added.

ALSO SEE
Extend J&K ceasefire, says army chief
Hurriyat team to visit Pak on Jan 15
No decision without passports: Butt
Passports to all or none will go to Pak: Hurriyat leader: PTI

COMPLETE COVERAGE
Government initiated ceasefire in J&K

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