Terming the ongoing polls in the state as a "drama", moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Monday appealed to the international community to send delegations to Jammu and Kashmir on a fact-finding mission.
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.
Supporting the India-Pakistan talks and peace process, he said dialogue was imperative but there should be the world community's involvement at a certain level to reach a solution acceptable to all the parties concerned.
The Hurriyat says on the one hand India and Pakistan should talk to each other and on the other the Hurriyat leadership would have separate dialogue with India and Pakistan.
Rajnath came down heavily on the National Conference-Congress alliance over its poll promise of restoring Article 370 and said it is impossible as long as the BJP is there.
Former governor of Jammu and Kashmir Girish Chandra Saxena has dealt with Hurriyat leaders for many years. Here he paints Hurriyat's profile exclusively for rediff.com.
Officials said both the factions of the Hurriyat are likely to be banned under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or the UAPA, under which "if the Central Government is of opinion that any association is, or has become, an unlawful association, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare such association to be unlawful."
Chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has proposed a new concept for resolving the Kashmir issue, United States of Kashmir, in which people would be able to move freely.
A day after an all party delegation reached out to separatists in Kashmir, moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday accused the Centre of not making a serious effort to address the Kashmir issue saying talks were not possible in a coercive atmosphere.
The presence of security forces in the Sonwar area, housing residences of almost all mainstream politicians and top civil and police officers is marked by heavy deployment to foil any untoward incident.
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.
The panel discussion titled 'Kashmir: From Turmoil to Transformation' was held on Thursday. It was moderated by columnist Se Hoon Kim and addressed by president of the Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party Mir Junaid, and Touseef Raina, president of the Municipal Council of Baramulla.
The separatist amalgam appealed to the international community to intervene in putting an end to the daily violence and tragic loss of life in Kashmir by "pushing for the resolution of the lingering Kashmir conflict, which is the root cause of all this suffering".
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.
A special court in Srinagar on Monday framed charges against eight persons, including a prominent Hurriyat leader, for selling Pakistani MBBS seats in Jammu and Kashmir to fund terror activities.
The separatist Hurriyat Conference is finished in Jammu and Kashmir but attempts are being made to keep it alive from Pakistan, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said on Monday, adding that the militancy in the region is "on crutches".
The panel had first visited the Valley in October after which it had recommended an immediate ban on use of pellet guns by security forces.
While Jamaat cannot take part in the elections due to the ban imposed on it by the Union home ministry, it had shown interest in participating in the polls during the Lok Sabha elections if the ban were removed.
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.
Former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig was among the 24 candidates in Baramulla constituency whose deposits were forfeited.
He has been politically inactive of late, particularly since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year which had far-reaching consequences for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He has been politically inactive of late, particularly since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year which had far-reaching consequences for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference has urged the Narendra Modi government to adopt the path of Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Atal Behari Vajpayee with regard to Kashmir.
Mehbooba Mufti said she will not contest the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out that she would not be able to fulfil her party's agenda in the union territory set up even if she were to become the chief minister.
It said a "sudden rise" in terrorist-financing investigations was seen in 2023 and this was attributed to events arising out of incidents in Manipur that led to such probes in more than 50 cases.
Ahead of the visit of an all-party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir, political parties on Saturday pitched for holding dialogue with "all stakeholders", including Hurriyat, to douse the unrest and banning the use of pellet guns by security forces.
Earlier this week, the Centre cleared the decks for people from across the country to buy land in the union territory by amending several laws. Most shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments were shut in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.
A photo of Junaid Ashraf holding an AK 47 assault rifle and wearing an armour vest went viral on social media on Saturday.
Dulat, who was advisor on Jammu and Kashmir to the central government during the tenure of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, also advocated the need for starting a dialogue with Pakistan.
Chairman of the moderate, All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq on Friday lambasted the government for 'wooing tourists from Israel'.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday announced the resumption of protests by calling a general strike on Saturday.The APHC co-ordination committee decided to call the strike after holding a meeting in Srinagar today afternoon to decide its future course of action."The coordination committee has appealed to the people to hold peaceful protests after Friday prayers and observe a complete strike on Saturday," a spokesman of the committee said.
'...only if we sort it out with Pakistan.'
In identical public notices published in local newspapers, they distanced themselves from separatist politics.
Favouring a ceasefire in Kashmir coinciding with Eid next month, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday said this would build moral pressure on militant outfits.
They also emphasised that Pakistan should play an "active role in highlighting the human rights violations" in Jammu and Kashmir at international fora.
Sources said the accusation comes after Geelani nominated his close aide Ghulam Nabi Sofi as the leader of the Hurriyat in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, replacing Abdullah Malik.
The last Friday prayers of Ramzan (Jumatul Vida) were not allowed to be held at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar.
One wonders where the inestimable Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his gang of separatist leaders have disappeared.
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