The Hindu : Hurriyat divided on talks with Kashmir Committee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 30, 2002

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Hurriyat divided on talks with Kashmir Committee

Srinagar Dec. 29. Serious differences have cropped up within the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) over its decision to continue talks with the Kashmir Committee (KC) led by the former Union Minister, Ram Jethmalani, with moderates in the separatist amalgam in its favour and the hardliners against it.

The Democratic Political Movement (DPM), formerly known as the Islamic Students League and a constituent of APHC, criticised the amalgam's decision to continue parleys with the KC, saying the talks were violative of the constitution of the 25-party conglomerate.

The DPM general secretary, Mohammad Shafi Reshi, said the party would continue to work with the Hurriyat as long as it acted in accordance with its constitution, which provided for trilateral talks involving India and Pakistan in some friendly country under the supervision of United Nations in case U.N. resolutions on Kashmir could not be implemented.

Mr. Reshi said talks with the KC were not in line with the constitution.

Matters may get complicated for the Hurriyat if the DPM seriously pursues its ambition of making it to the powerful executive of the amalgam. At present, the moderates have a greater say in the seven-member decision-making executive.

Muslim Khawateen Markaz (Muslim Women's Centre), another hardline constituent of the Hurriyat, supported Mr. Reshi's stand on talks with the non-governmental group, comprising eminent editors, lawyers and formers Ministers.

The MKM chairperson, Zamrud Habib, said her outfit supported the stand taken by DPM and also its claim for a place in the executive in view of the show of strength at its annual convention.

After his release last month, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik, a member of the Hurriyat executive committee, had expressed reservations over the talks and accused Mr. Jethmalani of engaging in "double-speak" with regard to a solution to the Kashmir issue.

However, the Awami Action Committee chairman and senior Hurriyat leader, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, said talks with the KC would continue.

PTI

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