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Hurriyat to consult working
committee, general council

The Kashmiri's separatist political umbrella, All Parties Hurriyat Conference Tuesday decided to consult its working committee and general council on the crucial issue of whether or not to accept the dialogue offer.

The decision followed a five-hour meeting of the Hurriyat executive that met here Tuesday morning to discuss the offer of unconditional talks by the Centre. The meeting was attended by senior executive members of the APHC and was presided over by chairman Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat.

Political observers said that unable to reach a consensus over the crucial issue of whether or not they should accept the talks offer, ''the Hurriyat, in order to broadbase the responsibility for the vital decision, decided to contact the general council and the working committee''.

Bhat told newsmen at the APHC headquarters that the executive had decided to convene a meeting of its general council and working committee shortly to reach a consensus on the issue.

"The working committee will meet on Saturday, which will be followed by the general council meeting on Monday," the Hurriyat chief said.

Bhat confirmed that they had received a formal letter from Pant, inviting them for a dialogue.

"We got the letter only in the afternoon," he said and added, "we discussed the issue and the meeting remained inconclusive."

It is worthwhile to note that ever since its creation in 1993, the APHC executive will for the first time consult its working committee and the general council on any issue. The working committee and general council meet has been scheduled later this week to discuss the talks offer threadbare.

"We shall formulate our response to the Indian offer for unconditional talks after that," said Bhat.

With sharp differences within the separatist political camp between the hawks and doves over the issue of acceptance or rejection of the Indian dialogue offer, the decision to throw the ball into the court of its working committee and general council is being seen locally as a ''time-buying exercise and one that would broadbase the responsibility is either case''.

It is significant that after the meeting, the APHC chairman announced that there ''was no controversy within the conglomerate regarding the senior pro-Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, whose recent statements sharpened differences between hardliners and moderates within the APHC''.

"Geelani will continue to represent the Jamaat-e-Islami in the Hurriyat executive.

The firebrand Jamaat leader sent his representative Qazi Ahadullah for Tuesday's meeting.

EARLIER REPORT
APHC begins meet to discuss Pant's offer of talks

The Kashmir Cease-Fire: The Complete Coverage

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