Union Textile Secretary Wajahat Habibullah, who is on a week-long visit to the Valley, apparently tasked with the responsibility of resuming talks between the Centre and the separatists, today met J-K Democratic Freedom Party leader Shabir Ahmad Shah and sought an appointment with hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Habibullah, who played a crucial role during the Hazratbal siege, met Shah at his residence this afternoon but the separatist leader said they did not talk politics. ‘‘It was a courtesy call. Although we did not talk politics, I pointed out that the recent Indo-Pak bonhomie augers well for a composite dialogue,’’ Shah said. He, however, added that during their brief interaction, Habibullah refused to admit that he was ‘‘some kind of an interlocuter and said that he was only paying an old friend a visit’’. Habibullah also contacted Geelani over the phone, and sought a meeting with him. Geelani, however, told him that if he wanted to meet him as an individual, he was welcome but he would have to contact his partymen if he had come as a representative of the Centre on Kashmir. Both Shah and Geelani had openly criticised the moderate faction of the Hurriyat for entering into a dialogue with the NDA government. Today, however, both favoured an unconditional dialogue with the Centre. Meanwhile, sources in the moderate faction of the Hurriyat said they were likely to meet Habibullah in the coming days. ‘‘If he is willing to meet us, we are ready,’’ a Hurriyat leader said, adding: ‘‘We will be never averse to measures initiated to restart dialogue’’. 'Talks is only way forward’
