Pak Overwhelmed to receive Hurriyat delegation: PM

Islamabad: Terming Hurriyat (M) delegation’s visit as a ‘welcome step’, Pakistan Prime Minster Raja Parvaiz Ashraf Monday said the countries’ leadership was always pleased to receive the separatists at Islamabad. “We are always pleased to receive you here”, Pak PM who was flanked by his foreign Minister Hina Rabani Khar, told the visiting delegation led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, at his official residence in Islamabad.

According to sources , Raja during his more than half hour meeting with the delegation said that his government was overwhelmed to see separatist leaders visiting the country, saying such initiatives would benefit in facilitating the resolution of Kashmir issue. He however insisted that the visits should be frequent and continuous.
“This should be a continuous process and will help us in building the confidence building measures (CBM’s)”, Raja the told delegation which was also attended by senior executive members Bilal Gani Lone, Prof. Ab. Gani Bhat, Molvi Abas Ansari, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, Syed Aga Hassan and Musadiq Aadil.
Appreciating the Hurriayt for accepting the invitation, Pak premier said that his country would continue to provide diplomatic, political and logistical support to Kashmir cause and ‘it was only because of this that the delegation was invited to Islamabad’. “This is a welcome step and we are overwhelmed to have you on the table”, Raja told the Mirwaiz led delegation. “K-issue is dear to us” he said adding that trade and other CBM’s were inevitable for creating an environment that could lead to the ultimate settlement of the issue. “For the resolution of the issue, CBM’s have to be there and these are a part of the process that will lead us to the settlement” insisted Raja.
Meanwhile the leader of the visiting hurriyat delegation Mirwaiz Umer Farooq while thanking the Government of Pakistan for their support to Kashmir cause, desired, the process should continue without hiccups. Mirwaiz is believed to have told Pak PM that Kashmiris are not averse to better relations between the two neighboring countries but cautioned against pushing them (Kashmiris) against the wall. “We are not against good relations between the two countries but these relations should not be strengthened at the cost of K- issue”, warned the Mirwaiz.
The delegation is also scheduled to meet Pak president Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Hina Rabani Khar, opposition leader Mian Nawaz Shareef, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shebaz Shareef. The delegation is also scheduled to meet cricketer turned politician Imran khan.
Meanwhile, the delegation called upon Awami National Party Chariman Asfandyar Wali Khan today. According to sources, the two parties exchanged view on solution of the Kashmir issue and the need to engage Kashmiris in the ongoing Indo pak dialogue process.
The Hurriyat delegation also met the President of the PML (Q) Choudhary Shujaat Hussain on Monday evening. Hussain welcomed the Hurriyat delegation and called their visit a good omen for the future of Kashmir-Pakistan relations. The Hurriyat delegation, according to sources, told Hussain that they were in favor of early solution of the Kashmir issue. They also sought support of the party for strengthening the voice of Kashmiris for inclusion of genuine Kashmiri leadership in the negotiations