Differences within Hurriyat over finances

NEW DELHI, NOV. 4. Close on the heels of a militant organisation threatening a senior Hurriyat leader to hand over the money he owed to the outfit, differences have surfaced within the All- Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) over the utilisation of funds being allegedly received by them from overseas.

Hurriyat insiders said the Al-Burq militant outfit's threat to the senior Hurriyat leader, Mr. Abdul Gani Lone, asking him to hand over Rs 4.5 crores back to the organisation had sparked off a debate within the amalgam about even previous financial benefits received from abroad.

They said at least two senior APHC leaders had heated exchanges over the finances received from overseas, majority of them from Pakistani organisations.

Much to the worry of the APHC leadership, now even these overseas organisations have started asking for records from the Hurriyat leaders about the utilisation of money, which was meant for disbursement among the needy persons, the insiders said, adding none of them had been able to give a clear picture so far. Some organisations have even threatened to stop all remittances and expose them if the Hurriyat failed to give the expenditure account.

The APHC leaders are believed to have contacted some of these organisations over phone asking for review of their stand but with little success, the insiders said.

Hurriyat leaders visited the Pakistan High Commission here during their stay to sort out the matter with the help of ``authorities having soft-corner for the amalgam''.

About the alleged firing at the residence of Mr. Lone, the insiders said other APHC leaders kept away from his press conference in Srinagar on Friday as the theory floated by him was not finding any takers within the amalgam.

- PTI

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