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Onkar Singh in New Delhi
All-Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat refused to comment on Thursday on the reported statement of Pakistani High Commissioner in India Ashraf Jehangir Qazi that Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf would not meet any APHC delegation during his visit to India.
Asked how he felt about Qazi's statement, Bhat retorted: "Why are you asking me this? This question should be directed to the Government of India."
Speaking to rediff.com on telephone from Srinagar, he said, "As we understand it, the Government of Pakistan wants everyone to rise to the occasion. Let us see how the Government of India responds to this kind of statement."
According to sources, however, the Hurriyat has been taken aback by Qazi's statement because the separatist conglomerate had been hoping that Pakistan would insist on making it a party to the proposed Vajpayee-Musharraf talks.
"We will meet soon to chalk out our strategy on this matter. The meeting will take place sometime next week," Bhat said.
Intelligence sources gave a different interpretation to the development. "The statement [of Qazi] was made with the full knowledge of Hurriyat Conference leaders who know that if Pakistan insists on involving them in the talks at this stage, the summit itself will be jeopardized," said one official.
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah refused to take any calls from reporters. Dr Abdullah is believed to be closely observing the developments. "The chief minister will not be available for comment today," said the man who answered the telephone at his residence in Srinagar.
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