Pak. pleased with Hurriyat team

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, JAN. 12. Pakistan tonight urged India to facilitate the travel of ``all members'' of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to Islamabad for consultations to prepare the ground for a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue.

The emphasis on clearance of travel documents to all the five members named by the APHC Chairman, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, is significant. Unlike the militant organisations that have been insisting on the visit of all the seven executive members, the Pakistan government has been silent on the subject.

Pakistan appears to be clearly pleased with the composition of the delegation, particularly the inclusion of pro- Pakistan leaders, Syed Ali Geelani and Sheikh Abdul Aziz. But at the same time it is keeping its fingers crossed on whether or not India would issue the travel documents to the two leaders.

The following is the text of the statement issued by the Pakistan government. ``The government of Pakistan welcomes the decision taken by the Executive Council of the APHC at its meeting in Srinagar yesterday to send a five member delegation to Pakistan. It may be recalled that the Government of Pakistan, on December 2 last year, had called upon the Government of India to allow the APHC to visit Pakistan for consultations. The Government of Pakistan calls upon the Government of India to enable all members of the APHC delegation nominated by the Chairman of the APHC to proceed to Pakistan for consultations with the Government of Pakistan to prepare the ground for a tripartite process of negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.''

While the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chose to wait for clearance from its supremo, Syed Salahuddin, before giving its reaction to the composition of the Hurriyat team, the Lashkar-e- Taiba praised the APHC Chairman for his choice of the team. In a statement the militant outfit spokesman, Mr. Abu Usama, said ``these people undoubtedly have a role in the freedom struggle as they have been fighting on the political front.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Extend ceasefire: Army Chief
Next     : SAARC situation vital: Wahid