Friday, May 20 2005 07:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Conceding setback to their unity efforts, moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference yesterday (May 19, 2005) said the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process cannot be held hostage to the reunification among the separatist groups.

"The efforts of reunification has failed but we will continue our efforts to bring the Kashmiri leadership on the single platform. However, the peace and dialogue process cannot be held hostage to the unity," Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said addressing a seminar at Rajbagh, the headquarters of the conglomerate in Srinagar yesterday.

The seminar 'Kashmir Issue and the Dialogue Process' was organised as part of week-long programme to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, who was killed by unidentified assailants in 1991 and 2003, respectively.

Inviting ruling People's Democratic Party and opposition National Conference and other groups to join Hurriyat, Mirwaiz said, "The doors of Hurriyat are open for all those who feels the pain of Kashmiris and want to rise above the petty interests and work for everlasting solution of Kashmir issue."

He said they (Hurriyat leaders) worked round-the-clock for the past two years to bring unity with the rival faction headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani but "due to lack of positive response from the other side the efforts proved futile".