Monday, June 6 2005 09:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad yesterday (Jun 5, 2005) said he would travel to Jammu and Kashmir by the next Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus on June 15 to meet among others hard-line Hurriyat leader Sayed Ali Shah Geelani, who had spurned Islamabad's invitation to visit the country.

Rashid, who declined to answer questions on why Jammu and Kasmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik did not attend yesterday's (Jun 5, 2005) talks between the visiting Hurriyat delegation, led by moderate leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, with Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, said as a "Kashmiri" he would be travelling by the next bus to see his native place, Srinagar.

He said he would meet all the Kashmiri leaders, including Geelani. "Geelani sahib is an elder I will meet him," he said.

On Saturday (Jun 4, 2005) night, Rashid had said he would go to Srinagar for a "private" in response to an invitation by Malik. "I have decided to accept the invitation of Yasin Malik and I intend to obtain travel documents of the next Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus."

This means the Pakistani Minister would be leaving along with the Hurriyat leaders who arrived by the bus on June 2.

"The Srinagar visit will be of private nature. During the visit, besides meeting my family members, I will also visit the graves of my forefathers," he said.

As per the agreed format between India and Pakistan, people from the two countries could travel by the bus in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir with special permits issued by both the sides.