4-member Hurriyat team to meet Musharraf first

‘‘The Hurriyat leaders were talking in different voices. First, they said the PM should send them an invitation, and now they want to meet Musharraf first. Somehow, in this confusion nothing could be worked out,’’ sources said. The Hurriyat leaders are meeting the Pakistan President on April 17.

Singh, on his part, had made it clear that he was willing to meet the Hurriyat representatives any time. ‘‘The separatists cannot expect a more direct invitation from the PM, and they cannot use the office of the PM to further their own interests. They are only a marginalised group in J-K at present,’’ sources added.

Intelligence sources said the Hurriyat leaders were apparently in consultation with the establishment across the border. This was the closest they had come to meeting the PM. ‘‘The meeting almost happened, but then one can never be sure while dealing with an unstable group as the Hurriyat Conference,’’ an official said.

Sources said the same had happened when Pakistan PM Shaukat Aziz visited India. As the Hurriyat leaders had fixed a meeting with Aziz, they also sent feelers to North Block. ‘‘But even at that time, they had similar demands, and the PM said a firm no,’’ sources added.

‘‘It’s immaterial whether we meet General Musharraf or Manmohan Singh first. Our aim is to contribute to the peace process and find ways for resolution of the Kashmir problem,’’ senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Bhat said.

Sources, however, pointed out that the moderates preferred meeting Musharraf first to ward off criticism. In the past, they have come under severe criticism from the Geelani-led group for ‘‘yielding too much to New Delhi’’. This time, they indicated that Mirwaiz Umer Farooq would be busy till Friday. ‘‘Being the chief priest of Kashmir, he will be leading special prayers on Friday — the first auspicious Friday of Rabi-ul-Awal, the month the Prophet was born,’’ a Hurriyat leader said.

As of now, Mirwaiz, Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone and Maulana Abbas Ansari are set to meet Musharraf in Delhi. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, JKLF leader Yasin Malik and JKDFP leader Shabir Ahmed Shah have been invited too. But it is not clear whether the two groups will meet the Pakistan President separately.