Thursday, May 26 2005 09:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Expressing its desire that hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani too should accept its invitation and visit Pakistan along with moderate faction leaders, Islamabad yesterday (May 25, 2005) said it planned to accord a historic reception to them at the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), when they arrive by the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus on June 2.

"It is the desire of the Government that Geelani should also come to Pakistan along with other APHC leaders," Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet in Islamabad.

The PoK Government plans to accord "a historic welcome when they arrive," he added.

The Pakistan Cabinet, which met under Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's chairmanship, discussed the response of the Hurriyat leaders to its invitation.

While the moderate Hurriyat faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq accepted the invitation, the hard-line faction led by Geelani is still undecided. It will take a decision later this week.

Ahmed said the Cabinet also decided that the federal budget for the next financial year will be presented in the National Assembly on June 6.