Kasuri to meet Kashmiri leaders in Delhi

* Talks likely to influence APHC-Geelani expansion

By Mohammad Imran

ISLAMABAD: Meetings between Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and top Kashmiri leaders in New Delhi are likely to play a major role in the expansion of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference-Geelani (APHC-G).

“The meetings between Mr Kasuri and prominent Kashmiri leaders from Indian-Held Kashmir (IHK) during his visit to New Delhi will result in a breakthrough on the APHC expansion,” sources told Daily Times on Friday.

Sources said that during his stay in India, Mr Kasuri would meet with APHC-Geelani Chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Awami Action Committee Chief Mir Waiz Umer Farooq, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Yasin Malik and Jammu and Kashmir Freedom Democratic Party Chief Shabir Shah.

Sources said there was a good chance Shabir Shah and Yasin Malik may join the APHC-Geelani faction after meeting Mr Kasuri.

“After the split in the APHC, Mr Geelani, who is the chairman of his own faction of the APHC, remained in contact with Mr Malik and Mr Shah to urge them to join the APHC-Geelani group to strengthen the Kashmir freedom movement,” sources said.

These sources claimed that Mr Kasuri’s meetings with Mr Malik and Mr Shah would be result-oriented and it is likely that both leaders would join the APHC-Geelani.

“Yes, these meeting must be result-oriented because Mr Geelani is still in contact with Mr Malik,” said Dr Altaf Qadri, representative of JKLF in Muzaffarabad, while talking to Daily Times.

Mr Qadri said there were no major differences between Mr Geelani and Mr Malik on the issue of the Kashmir freedom movement.

These sources added that the meeting between Mr Kasuri and Mr Farooq would be important. Sources further said that Mr Kasuri, who will hold meetings with the Kashmiri leaders, will also briefed them about the present situation regarding the ongoing composite dialogue between Pakistan and India. “These meetings are scheduled to be held before the start of the formal dialogue between the foreign ministers of both countries,” sources said. They added that the meetings between the IHK leadership and Indian authorities would also come under discussion.

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