Hurriyat off to PoK today, will be in Pak on Saturday

While in PoK, they will meet its President Gen (retd) Anwar Khan, Prime Minister Sikander Hayat and other political leaders, besides addressing its Assembly, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said today.

They will arrive in Islamabad on June 4 for talks with Musharraf, Aziz and other leaders, Jilani told PTV.

According to Jilani, Pakistan considered the visit by Hurriyat leaders ‘‘very important’’ since Islamabad has been demanding the involvement of Kashmiri leaders in the current process to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.

During their stay in Islamabad, the Hurriyat leaders will also meet the Kashmir committee of parliamentarians and intellectuals.

They will also be touring other places in Pakistan and will stay for nearly a fortnight as the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad operates on a fortnightly basis.

Jilani said all arrangements are complete to accord a warm welcome to the delegation when they arrive in PoK. ‘‘The Hurriyat leaders will be given a warm welcome when they arrive by the bus tomorrow.’’

In Srinagar today, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told The Indian Express that the Hurriyat will go in a procession right upto Uri, the last township before the LoC. ‘‘Our supporters are not listening. They are upbeat. They want to hold separate functions at Awami Action Committee headquarters and Hurriyat office,’’ he said.

Mirwaiz’s aide Vakil said at least 400 vehicles will escort the Hurriyat leaders. ‘‘We will travel upto the last point in our private vehicles,’’ he said. ‘‘Two AAC leaders, Shahidul Islam and Nazir Ahmad Ronga, are already in Pakistan to facilitate our visit. They are doing the groundwork for our meeting in Islamabad,’’ he said.

JKLF chairman Yasin Malik decided not to ‘‘celebrate’’ the event. ‘‘We will celebrate only when something positive comes out of the trip,’’ said Malik. ‘‘We will leave silently, without making any noise.’’