SRINAGAR, Aug 2: Syed Ali Shah Geelani was re-appointed on Monday as head of Jamaat-i-Islami as efforts got under way to ease a split among leaders opposed to Indian occupation in Kashmir.

Mr Geelani was in September 2003 declared head of a breakaway hardline faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. But his party had said that Mr Geelani had retired.

However, a separate split emerged on Monday when former Mujahideen commander Javed Mir announced that he was forming a new party, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Forum, after leaving the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front last month. -AFP