We want to be on first bus, but ready to delay trip if talks with Delhi help: Hurriyat

Describing the announcement on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service as ‘‘a small but significant step,’’ a prominent Hu...

Describing the announcement on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service as ‘‘a small but significant step,’’ a prominent Hurriyat leader today said he and his colleagues wanted to be on the first bus across the LoC but were willing to delay a visit to Pakistan if talks with New Delhi were to push forward the peace process.

Speaking to The Indian Express, former Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat said: ‘‘Good relations between India and Pakistan is good news for Kashmiris and Kashmir… When India and Pakistan have shown flexibility, the Hurriyat too wants to contribute. To give a push to the peace process,

we can even delay the idea of going to Pakistan first.’’

‘‘Since the talks are trilateral in nature, we can start the third round of talks with Centre and then undertake a visit to Pakistan to complete the cycle,’’ he said.

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‘‘The APHC (Hurriyat) would like to board the first bus to Muzaffarabad which is a destination and a step towards the resolution of Kashmir. Hurriyat leaders do not want to be passengers of a bus to nowhere. We are prepared to board the bus to explore the possibility of Kashmir’s permanent settlement,’’ Bhat said.

The remarks come a day after militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad threatened to disrupt the cross-LoC service. The Hizbul Mujahideen too said the bus link is ‘‘unimportant and won’t improve the plight of the people.’’

While the hardline Hurriyat faction, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has said the ‘‘opening of the roadlink will make no difference,’’ the moderates led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have been advocating early start of the bus service for people-to people contact.

Bhat found no merit in the demand that the Hurriyat clarify whether they would use passports or J&K permits to travel. ‘‘I tell those people that it is immaterial. If our chairman Mirwaiz owns a passport and wants a comfortable journey, he can travel by plane while Ansari and I (who don’t possess passports) can take the bus,’’ he said.

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‘‘What matters is whether we will succeed in pushing forward the talks process.’’

The Hurriyat is waiting for the return from New Delhi of chairman Mirwaiz. Hurriyat executive leader Bilal Gani Lone too said they were not averse to talks with the Centre.

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