Srinagar: The breakaway faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani suffered a major setback when Jamaat declared that it would work towards forging unity among constituents of the amalgam.

Jamaat's Majlis-e-Shoura (advisory council) met in Srinagar on September 20 evening and set up a three-member committee under its political bureau chief Mohammad Ashraf Sahari to hold talks with other groups regarding the unity in Hurriyat, Jamaat sources said on September 21.

The Jamaat's decision came at a time when Geelani was expecting support for his faction from the parent organisation and is seen as a rebuff for his hasty decision to accept chairmanship of the breakaway faction.

Sources said Geelani on his own had agreed to wait and allow Jamaat to take a decision on his assumption of office of chairman of breakaway group.

"We had requested him (Geelani) to take up the issue to Majlis-e-Shoura and then take a decision accordingly on the issue. However, Geelani did not wait and became the chairman without taking Jamaat into confidence," Jamaat sources added.

PTI