Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, 29, balances two very prominent roles in the troubled state of Jammu & Kashmir.
He's the religious head of Kashmiri Muslims. He's also a political leader of influence, as a former chairman of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, a 23-member conglomerate of separatist parties.
In the United States to take part in a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, as also to meet state department officials, Farooq, heading a three-member delegation, met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as well.
His message, which he said General Musharraf endorsed, was: It is time to seek a solution through dialogue. "He [Gen Musharraf] said he believes the Hurriyat speaks for the people of Jammu & Kashmir," Farooq said, "and the decision we arrive at will reflect their aspirations."
Elections, meanwhile, are already underway in J&K, with terrorist violence omnipresent in the Kashmir Valley.
Will the polls make a difference? With Gen Musharraf agreeing to back the Hurriyat's move for a negotiated settlement of the matter, is there hope of ending the turmoil? What is Washington's stand? What are the options the Hurriyat is looking at?
Discuss these and other related questions on The Rediff Chat on Wednesday, September 18, 2002, 2000 IST (1030 EDT) , directly with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who will log on from Washington, DC.
Earlier Chat Transcript: 'Peace cannot be achieved in a vacuum'
Also see:
J&K Elections 2002: The Complete Coverage
The PM's visit to the US 2002: The Complete Coverage
Feedback
