Srinagar: Seven separatist leaders Saturday decided to quit the moderate Hurriyat group headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.
These include Sheikh Yaqoob, the brother of a slain Hurriyat leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Zafar Akbar Bhat, Syed Saleem Gilani, Hakim Rashid, Yasmeen Raja and Bashir Andrabi.
Sources close to the separatist conglomerate headed by the Mirwaiz told IANS here that seven leaders have decided to quit the separatist amalgam but however, refused to divulge the reasons for decision.
On the other hand, sources close to the seven quitting leaders said that they “were having differences with the executive members regarding the restoration of Hurriyat constitution since some time”.
“The leaders today decided to quit Hurriyat as its executive council did not respond to their demands”.
Separatist sources also said these leaders are likely to join the Shabir Shah-led separatist group in near future.