The Centre is acting tough with Kashmir's separatist leaders by taking on their foreigner wives, refusing them to stay with their husbands in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Saturday condemned the hanging of Afzal Guru, saying the latter was not involved in the 2001 Parliament attack and was also not given a chance to defend himself in connection with this case. Geelani said Guru's hanging at the Tihar Jail this morning is a matter of sorrow and pain for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairman of the moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq intends to visit China after the Eid festival, following his visit to Pakistan.
None of its candidates won. Most of them lost badly.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the hardline faction of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, on Tuesday demanded the immediate withdrawal of security forces from the Kashmir Valley. Addressing a mammoth gathering of over 1,00,000 people at Srinagar's Tourists Reception Centre Grounds along with fellow leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Shabbir Shah and Yasin Malik, Geelani laid down its immediate demand: The withdrawal of security forces.
They also emphasised that Pakistan should play an "active role in highlighting the human rights violations" in Jammu and Kashmir at international fora.
Accusing the Centre of projecting the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as an excuse to stay away from dialogue with Pakistan, the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference on Friday asked both the countries to remove mistrust and resolve all issues, including Kashmir dispute, this year.
Under the Indo-Pak agreement for the launch of bus service, any permanent resident of Jammu and Kashmir can travel only between two parts of undivided state on a permit.
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of All-Party Hurriyat Conference, has claimed that on July 13, the country will witness one of the biggest peaceful protests in their struggle for resolution of problem of Jammu and Kashmir.
The team also visited Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front headquarters at Maisuma and held a prolonged meeting with chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik.
"We can't have this high-horse spirit -- that you can speak to the high commissioner of Pakistan, but not to the home minister of India."
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, told rediff.com, "Anyone who indulges in acts of terrorism on either side of the border should be held accountable and should be dealt with in accordance with the law, whether it is Ajmal Kasab or anyone."
The stone-pelting was sponsored by the Syed Ali Shah Geelani faction to create law and order problem in Sopore, Abdul Latief Lone, detained under the Public Safety Act, told police, according to DIG (North Kashmir) Munir Khan.
Former separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone has entered mainstream politics, aiming to represent his father's legacy and address the issues facing Kashmiri youth.
Suggestions from certain quarters, including Pakistan and the United States, about having "self-rule" in Jammu and Kashmir would also figure in the talks with Musharraf, he said.
He said no reduction of forces within the state, could become 'an impediment in the peace process.'
Two persons were killed when policemen fired on protestors in Qamarwari and Sangrama areas of Kashmir valley on Monday, according to official sources.
A chargesheet was on Thursday filed by the Enforcement Directorate against Firdous Ahmad Shah, a member of Syed Ali Geelani's Hurriyat Conference, and another person for allegedly receiving money from Europe for use in terror financing.
The arrest of Mohammed Nayeem Khan, president of the National Front, came a day before a party convention.
Geelani, who is visiting Jammu on November 12 and 13 to finalise the modalities of the talks, said the amalgam also plans to hold seperate meetings with Dogras of Jammu and Buddhists of Ladakh at a later date.
The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said that the deputy prime minister has agreed to hold 'unconditional' talks.
The Jammu and Kashmir high court has quashed the detention of the ailing chairman of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani under the Public Safety Act and has ordered his release.
The Centre also favours a dialogue with the Naxalites, said Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
It also asked the people of the state to observe January 26 as a 'black day'.
Mehbooba was addressing a joint press conference with Omar Abdullah and Hurriyat Conference Chief Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on the sidelines of the Hindustan Times Summit.
"We will be meeting Musharraf on April 16. This has been verbally communicated to us," Hurriyat Conference's founder-chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq told PTI.
Highly-placed sources said an invitation will be sent as soon as Hurriyat leaders agree to hold talks with Patil.
The Mirwaiz said barring the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, the Centre had taken no positive step to build the confidence of the people.
Sources said the visit was likely to take place in the second week of December as the Mirwaiz was scheduled to attend two Organisation of Islamic Conference meets.
'They (the Centre) have been talking in Mizoram to militant organisations... I don't think that option should be closed (in Kashmir),' the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
