Pakistan's ruler Pervez Musharraf and his top diplomats made a U-turn on talks with India after the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee released Hurriyat leaders in early 2000 as part of his peace initiatives on Kashmir, according to a declassified US cable.
Both factions of Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday attacked Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in unison over his statement asking to explore "other options" if Pakistan continues with ceasefire volition, saying his talk of "bullet for bullet" shows lack of understanding of the consequences.
Accusing the UN of working under the influence of America the Hurriyat faction alleged that in the name of fighting terrorism, terror acts were taking place in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Kashmir. Today when the world is observing the anniversary of the United Nations, Hurriyat wants to clarify to its General Secretary that resolution of the Kashmir issue held the key to peace in the South Asian region.
Condemning the attack on separatist leader Fazal Haq Qureshi, Hurriyat Conference on Saturday said it will not be cowed down by such acts and will pursue the path of dialogue for resolving the Kashmir problem.
A senior Hurriyat leader has created a flutter by saying that two separatist leaders and his brother were killed by "our own people" and not security agencies, prompting Jammu and Kashmir government to term it as a "late admission" and a call for a probe to fix responsibility.
On the controversial AFSPA, the home minister said, "We will also think of revoking AFSPA."
The state police on Friday arrested one of the two activists of the hardline Hurriyat Conference who were allegedly involved in a conspiracy to engineer violence in Kashmir valley by planning the killing of 10 to 15 people during a procession. The police swooped down at a place on Narbal-Magam Road and arrested Shabir Ahmed Wani, district president of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Mirwaiz to lead Hurriyat delegation to PoK
Ahead of its Pakistan visit from Monday, separatist outfit Hurriyat Conference Sunday said it will discuss the Kashmir issue with President Pervez Musharraf and other Pakistan leaders.
India on Monday said there was 'no scope for misunderstanding or misrepresenting' its position
Three Hurriyat Conference leaders were taken into custody, as police foiled the separatists plan to march in connection with Martyrs day on Monday.
Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and several other leaders of the amalgam were placed under house arrest late on Wednesday night, ahead of a rally in old city on the third death anniversary of a slain separatist leader.
Interestingly, the Hurriyat leaders had earlier agreed to meet Dr Singh on either of the two dates proposed by his office. What made them suddenly change their mind is not known.
The Union minister, however, indicated the dates for the talks would be set after a discussion with the Hurriyat leaders.
Several leaders of moderate Hurriyat Conference, including its chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, were placed under house arrest by the authorities in Srinagar after the separatist amalgam said it will visit the family of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.
After the meeting with the Pak PM, separatist leaders admitted that differences persisted.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday attached 17 properties of Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali in a terror funding case, the agency said.
Separatist Kashmiri leader Ghulam Nabi Fai, who has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on charges of working for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, was the point man of contact for the Hurriyat leaders whenever they visited the United States.
Breaking the ice, the Centre's interlocutors on Kashmir talked to Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq over the phone discussing the situation in the state and seeking time for a meeting.
Expressing grief over the Uttarakhand tragedy, the moderate Hurriyat Conference on Friday demanded restricting Amarnath Yatra to an earlier schedule to safeguard the fragile environment of Himalayas.
The announcement came a day after Hurriyat chairman Maulvi Abbas Ansari expressed willingness to hold the talks if the Centre extended an invitation.
Sawant said that the party never supported Gaikwad's actions but always demanded a proper investigation into the matter.
The separatist leaders were detained as a precautionary measure as authorities apprehended that their visit to the village might further deteriorate the already surcharged atmosphere, the sources said.
Extremists groups have warned the Hurriyat Conference not to hold talks without first consulting them.
The moderate Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday condemned the killing of two sisters at Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district terming it as an inhuman act. The statement hit back at those who had questioned separatists' silence over the killings.
The meeting presided over by APHC chairman Moulvi Mohammad Abbas Ansari is being attended by all senior members, including executive members Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Abdul Gani Bhat and Bilal Gani Lone, Hurriyat sources said.
The Hurriyat leaders were also prepared for talks with New Delhi before the visit.
"We completely support the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan, which is extremely likely to produce a permanent and acceptable solution to the Kashmir problem," Professor Gani added.
Aziz, chairman of Hurriyat constituent People's League, was nabbed by a team of Delhi Police Special Cell when he was coming out of the Pakistan High Commission on Thursday evening.
The others named in the PE are Naeem Khan, Farooq Ahmed Dar alias 'Bitta Karate' and Gazi Javed Baba of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.
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