Qureshi to attend PM's conference on Kashmir

The decision was taken after the working committee of the party met in Srinagar on Wednesday.

Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Liberation Party (JKDLP) led by Hashim Qureshi on Wednesday decided to attend the round-table conference called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

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The conference was called on February 25 to discuss the Kashmir issue.

The decision was taken after the working committee of the party met in Srinagar on Wednesday, its President Hashim Qureshi said.

Qureshi, who is the founding member of JKLF and was the first hijacker in the Asian aviation history, said his party would be attending the meeting.

It firmly believed that negotiations were the only option for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

He is the first separatist leader who has responded favourably to the Prime Minister's round-table conference on the weekend.

Rest others including Hurriyat Conference and JKLF spurned the offer.

"We cannot understand the double standards of certain groups, who only want to talk individually and refrain from attending a round-table possibly due to their fear of exposure in gathering," Qureshi said in a veiled reference to the turning down of the offer by Hurriyat, JKLF and separatist leader Shahbir Shah.