The Hindu : National : Hurriyat leaders pledge to work as bridge between India, Pakistan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 03, 2005

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National

Hurriyat leaders pledge to work as bridge between India, Pakistan

Shujaat Bukhari

Journey to PoK a "first step" towards resolution of the Kashmir issue

KAMAN POST (LOC): A nine-member delegation of separatist leaders on Thursday boarded the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus (Karvan-e-Aman) and began its historic visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan with a pledge to work as a bridge between India and Pakistan to resolve the long-standing Kashmir problem.

Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Shah could not join the group as he was denied permission for having mentioned his nationality as "Kashmiri" in the application form for LoC permit and passport. His trusted lieutenant, Mohammad Abdullah Taari, replaced him.

Even as the bus began its fourth trip carrying 23 passengers, the leaders of the moderate Hurriyat Conference left in their cars in a procession up to Salamabad. The journey, termed by Hurriyat leaders a "first step" towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue, started from Rajouri Kadal, ancestral home of Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. He led a few thousand people and reached the Hurriyat Conference headquarters at Rajbagh to join colleagues Moulvi Abbas Ansari, Abdul Gani Bhat, Fazl Haque Qureshi and Bilal Gani Lone.

The Mirwaiz and other leaders, who were waving to the crowd, were followed by their supporters amidst chanting of slogans "We want freedom; Hurriyat leaders go ahead, we are with you."

The journey up to Uri, last major town on this side of the Line of Control was smooth, but the crowd turned violent as authorities did not allow them to accompany their leaders up to the Kaman Post.

Around 5.30 p.m. all the leaders crossed Aman Setu (Peace Bridge). The leaders, followed by a battery of mediapersons, were seen off by Baramulla Deputy Commissioner Rohit Kansal and SSP Munir Khan. Chowdary Liaqat Hussain, Deputy Commissioner, Muzaffarabad, was the first to greet them from the other side.

"It is a sad feeling as I have crossed this LoC eight times with my friends who are no more in this world" said JKLF chief Yasin Malik, who reached the Kaman Post without fanfare.

Before leaving for Muzaffarabad, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the Hurriyat was going with an open mind to involve all those associated with the Kashmir issue to find an amicable solution. "Our struggle has come from the battlefield to the negotiating table so we will try to evolve a consensus and our endeavour will be to have a joint effort between the leaderships of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to achieve our goal" he said, adding "Kashmiris have to show a vision, a sign of maturity."

The Mirwaiz said the "freedom struggle" had entered a crucial phase and "we are happy that the Kashmiris have been recognised as a party to the dispute as we are being allowed to hold separate talks with Pakistan ... I hope India will have further realisation of the situation and will continue the peace process with the same zeal."

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