MUZAFFARABAD, May 31: The AJK authorities on Tuesday received and instantly verified application forms of 11 Kashmiri leaders from across the Line of Control for their high-profile journey to Azad Kashmir and Pakistan by the fifth trans-Kashmir bus on Thursday, officials said.
The application forms were handed over by a Srinagar-based regional passport officer to Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad Liaqat Hussain at a meeting held on the AJK side of the LoC in Chakothi sector, 61km south of here. The forms were returned after clearance at another meeting held at the same place after two hours.
The visitors include Awami Action Committee chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who also heads the moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Professor Abdul Ghani Bhat of the Muslim Conference, Bilal Ghani Lone of the People’s Conference, Maulvi Abbas Ansari of the Ittehadul Muslimeen and Fazlul Haq Qureshi of the People’s Political Front.
Mirwaiz Farooq, Professor Bhat, Maulana Ansari and Mr Lone are members of the APHC executive council, the highest decision-making body of the conglomerate. Mr Qureshi came to limelight when he acted as a mediator between the Indian government and the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen group in 2000.
The delegation also includes four other leaders of the AAC, Ghulam Mohammad Butt, Nazir Ahmed Ronga, Shahidul Islam and Mohammad Yaqoob Wakil.
From outside the folds of the APHC, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) Secretary-General Mohammad Abdullah Tari will be among the visitors.
Officials said JKDFP chief Syed Shabbir Ahmed Shah and his associate Mohammad Shafi Rangrez were also likely to take the trans-Kashmir bus provided their application forms were handed over to the AJK authorities for clearance.
“Though we did not receive their forms today but it is likely the Indian authorities will provide us the same tomorrow,” said the official who did not want to be named.
