Executive Body meeting on Saturday, in absence of Mirwaiz
By News Agency of Kashmir
Srinagar : After a virtual split in separatists conglomerate All Party Hurriyat Conference, fissures are now deepening in moderate faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, which has called its Executive Body meeting, here on Saturday.
The meeting – which has been called to ward off the ongoing tussle between the various constituents of the conglomerate – is being held in the absence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is leaving to attend proposed International Kashmir Conference to be held on 28-29 November in London.
If sources are to be believed the leaders of all constituent parties of All party Hurriyat conference led by Mirwaiz are in race to take control of the faction despite a strong sport of Mirwaiz.
According to sources rift between some members of the faction is deepening day by day and every one want to lead the faction according to his will. “It is clear who so ever is powerful among masses will head the group, a Hurriyat member told News Agency of Kashmir, preferring anonymity.
Sources claimed that Prof Abdul Gani Bhat is not feeling comfortable with Bilal Gani Lone over some issues, including claims of having mass base in the valley. On the other hand Lone has been advocating for decentralization of powers among the six members of the executive body of the Hurriyat (M) which he says are not properly distributed.
Lone, sources said, is lobbying hard among the separatists camp for his appointment as chairman of the conglomerate. The elections for the post of chairman APHC are scheduled to be held in May-June 2008.
Sources in Hurriyat told News Agency of Kashmir that Bilal who is indirectly penetrating his supporters in the Hurriyat is all set to takeover charge of the Hurriyat headquarters.
However, majority of the members are presently favoring Mirwaiz Umer Farooq believing him to be the right choice for the post of chairman. Even Islamabad based members of the Hurriyat are in support of Mirwaiz, they added.
Lone, who has a strong lobby in North Kashmir and some other parts of Kashmir, was accused of floating dummy candidates in last Assembly elections and was for long time out of Hurriyat.
Reliable sources were now pointing fingers on Khalil Ahmad Khalil, who reportedly enjoys good relations with Lone. He is also considered to be main factor in replacement of Shahid-ul-Islam from the Hurriyat headquarter.
“Some of the members took exception to Shahid-ul-Islam for his way of handling media affairs”, sources said adding, “A close aide of Lone, Musadiq Adil was given the charge on the plea that every press statement should come from Hurriyat and not from any individual party”.
Lone, sources said has strong support of another Sepratist leader Aga Hassan. It may be mentioned that Aga Hassan and Abas Ansari enter into a controversy over the issue of sighting Moon on eve of Eid-ul-Fitter, which later witnessed celebration of Eid by two sects on two different days.
Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz group, which is being run on three Tyre pattern has six executive members with five members in each managing body and other members of general body.
The two brothers Sajad Gani Lone and Bilal Gani were also brought closer to each other by the acting chairman of peoples league Khalil Ahmed Khalil. However clouds of uncertainity are also hovering over the head of Khalil following the release of Peoples League chairman Sheikh Abdul Aziz.
Khalil was nominated as acting chairman after the arrest of Sheikh. People’s league according to sources has asked Hurriyat to oust Khalil from the group for some obvious reasons.
A member of the Hurriyat (M) on the condition of anonymity told NAK, “We are watching the situation and would take decision at an appropriate time”. “Bilal’s one point programme is that only Constituent Parties of APHC with mass base in valley should remain in the Hurriyat”, he added.
He said that if mass base was criteria, Faizullah Qureshi could be the one of the choice as he enjoys mass base in both sides of Kashmir.
Observers were monitoring the developments closely and were it has to be seen as seen as which way the wind blows after the meeting of executive body on Saturday. The meeting according to sources has been called to end the internal rift among the members of the faction led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq but some members suggests the tussle may not end soon.