A three-member team of leaders of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference is visiting Pakistan from January 17. Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz would lead the team. Professor Abdul Gani Bhat and Bilal Gani Lone would be the other two members of the team.
Even as the reports of Hurriyat leaders were making rounds for the past so many days, the formal decision however was taken in an extraordinary meeting of the amalgam's executive council on Monday. Senior Hurriyat leader and a close confident of Mirwaiz Ummer Farooq Shahidul Islam told the Hindustan Times that the Hurriyat team would leaving for Pakistan on January 16.
The visit is a part of the amalgam's efforts to finding a peaceful and permanent solution to the issue of Kashmir. Hurriyat leaders would meet Pakistan President and other leaders of Pakistani establishment and are likely to present them a "roadmap" for the resolution of Kashmir issue.
Hurriyat Conference indicated that it was ready to meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh before Pakistan visit if invited by the Prime Minister. Sources said that union water resources minister Professor Saifuddin Soz, who had brokered first ever talks between Hurriyat leaders and the Prime Minister, was persuading the Dr Manmohan Singh to invite Hurriyat leaders for talks before their Pakistan visit.
Central government's point man on Kashmir NN Vohra is also understood to be in favour of talks. However, sources say, that a strong lobby led by NK Naraynan are opposing any invitation of talks to the Hurriyat leaders.
{{/usCountry}}Central government's point man on Kashmir NN Vohra is also understood to be in favour of talks. However, sources say, that a strong lobby led by NK Naraynan are opposing any invitation of talks to the Hurriyat leaders.
{{/usCountry}}Chief minister Ghulam Nabbi Azad is also reported to have put his weight behind Naraynan. This lobby is peeved at Hurriyat leaders refusal to participate in the round table conference prime minister had called on Kashmir, last year.