Lone echoes Musharraf view

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, NOV. 25. The senior All-Party Hurriyat Conference leader and president of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Party, Mr. Abdul Ghani Lone, today urged India to improve upon the ceasefire announcement made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee.

In an interview with The Hindu immediately after meeting the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the APHC leader virtually echoed the latter's view that it was necessary for going beyond the offer to gain momentum towards resolution of the Kashmir conflict.

Reiterating that the announcement was a welcome move and that all concerned should respond positively, he said, ``offer of a ceasefire is always a positive development from whichever quarter it comes and a positive development should be responded positively''.

On the negative response from the Pakistan-based militant groups and the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin's statement terming the announcement a `mockery', he said, ``whether it is a sincere offer or as Salahuddin has said India is playing the same old game would be known only by the subsequent conduct of the Indian Government''.

Pointing out that the APHC was already seized of the negative reaction from the militant outfits, Mr. Lone referred to the statement of its chairman, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhatt, that the Hurriyat would like to contact those groups.

About his impressions of the visit to Pakistan after a gap of 17 years, Mr. Lone said that from the point of view of the cause he espoused, it was very fruitful. ``I had an opportunity of interacting with a number of leaders from Azad Kashmir (Pakistan- occupied Kashmir), Gilgit and the Northern Areas. More important, it enabled me to get acquainted with various shades of opinion''.

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