Gilani replaces APHC executive committee with advisory council

SRINAGAR: All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Gilani on Thursday dissolved the executive committee of the alliance and made a Majlis-e-Shoora that will be the supreme decision-making body of the Hurriyat.

The decision to amend the APHC constitution accordingly was taken after a five-hour long meeting, an APHC spokesman said here. The move is meant to give each constituent in the Hurriyat more of a say in decision-making, he said. The executive committee only had seven members.

The spokesman said there would be no change in the objective and aims of the Hurriyat, which are to “work for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue”.

The APHC recently split into two groups, with Mr Gilani elected chairman of the group Pakistan officially recognises as the APHC. The meeting agreed that he would hold the post for three years.

The meeting decided to increase the chairman’s terms further “if he lives up to the expectations of the Majlis-e-Shoora,” the spokesman said. The meeting also decided to create a general secretary post, which was given to Muhammad Yousaf Mir. He said that the number of constituents within the Hurriyat had increased to 18 with the joining of the Ittehadul Muslimeen.

‘India, Pakistan must start talking’: Former Indian-administered Kashmir chief minister and opposition leader Dr Farooq Abdullah asked New Delhi and Islamabad to restart a peace dialogue on Kashmir. “Everyday shells are falling on borders and innocent and poor people are being killed. Let New Delhi and Islamabad talk to each other to solve the Kashmir issue,” he said, adding the Kashmir issue could only be solved through dialogue.

Addressing National Conference workers in Srinagar, he also predicted the Mufti Syed-led coalition government in Indian-administered Kashmir would soon fall, and urged his supporters to be prepared. “I do not want to take chances. We have to tread our path very cautiously. We can take over the reins of the government anytime, but we do not want to be hasty in our decisions,” he said. —SANA/APP

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