Two Hurriyat leaders now visiting Pakistan have met a top guerrilla leader in Pakistan, agreeing to his stand that the struggle in the Himalayan region at political, diplomatic and militant fronts should continue till an acceptable solution to the 57-year old dispute came up, sources said on Monday.
Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Salim Hashmi confirmed to Greater Kashmir his supreme commander Syed Salahuddin had been separately called on by two of the visiting Kashmiri leaders in Islamabad but declined to give their names.
A nine-member delegation, including seven from a faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), arrived on Thursday in Muzaffarabad, capital of the Pakistan administered Kashmir, on the first such trip since they launched their campaign against Indian rule in Kashmir in 1989.
The visitors, who have been declared state guests by the Pakistan government, reached Islamabad on Saturday, kicking off their 10-days tour to interact with Pakistani leadership with a view to finding solution to the festering dispute.
On Sunday, they called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who reaffirmed Pakistan's support to making the people of Kashmir the third party in future parleys on the long running dispute.
"Two of the leaders later met Hizbul chief separately during which the ongoing peace process with particular reference to the apprehensions of the people and fighters came under discussion," Hashmi said, but declined to give further details.
"It was a personal meeting and not from the platform of United Jihad Council," he said.
The council brings together nearly a dozen fighter group engaged in the armed struggle since 1989 to overthrow Indian rule and Salahuddin is also its chairman.
Another well placed source in the largest fighter group told this reporter that both sides had agreed that continuation of "an effective and co-ordinated struggle at political, diplomatic and militant fronts was indispensable till the surfacing of a solid and acceptable solution to the Kashmir dispute."
The meeting also acknowledged the "successful role" of the armed struggle in making Kashmir issue focus of international attention, said the source, who requested anonymity.
Hizb chief stressed that the unity of "reliable and recognised political leadership" and integrated diplomatic activities were the foremost requirement of the movement, the source said.
"Without taking the genuine leadership into confidence, no action or step could meet success," he quoted Salahuddin as having told his guests. Hizb has always thrown its weight behind Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of hard-line faction of the APHC, regarding him as the most genuine Kashmiri leader.