While Hurriyat Conference had no specific agenda during the meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier this month, its Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq chose the platform of Organisation of Islamic Conference to demand various steps, including Kashmir-centric confidence building measures.
In his brief speech at the OIC's Contact group meeting in New York on Monday night, the Mirwaiz said, "We welcome the current CBMs between India and Pakistan and pray that they all succeed. We, however, hope that the OIC will impress upon the Government of India to initiate Kashmir-centric CBMs which includes release of political prisoners."
Hurriyat has a status of an observer in OIC. Surprisingly, Hurriyat, which was completely blank about the agenda during the September 6 meeting with Dr Singh, has come out with its demands barely three days after meeting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New York last week.
Among the list of CBMs listed by Mirwaiz at OIC were demilitarisation of Kashmir, repeal of Public Safety Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act, dismantling of bunkers from villages and towns and tangible action regarding disappeared persons. He said the Hurriyat desired that Kashmiri leaders be officially associated with the talks.
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