Monday, June 6 2005 16:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: The visiting Kashmiri separatist leaders today (Jun 6, 2005) went on a sightseeing tour of Lahore and interacted with the civil society and political leaders ahead of their meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf likely to take place tomorrow (Jun 7, 2005).

The leaders from the Kashmir valley, who crossed over the Line of Control to visit Pakistan at the Government's invitation, were accorded a warm reception by Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi and his ministerial colleagues at the Lahore airport where they flew in from Islamabad.

Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and other leaders from the valley visited Minar-e-Pakistan monument built to commemorate the carving of Pakistan. They later prayed at the famous Islamic shrine of Datta Durbar and interacted with the civil society and political parties.

They are expected to return to Islamabad for a possible dinner meeting tomorrow with Musharraf on his return from the tour of the UAE and Qatar.

On arrival at the Lahore airport, the Mirwaiz told reporters the Kashmiri leaders were keenly awaiting their meeting with Musharraf from whom they want to hear the future course of the India-Pak process and his promise to make it triangular involving, India, Pakistan and Kashmiris.

Besides Farooq, the leaders visiting Lahore included Maulana Abbas Ansari, Bilal Lone, Mohammad Abdullah Tari, Abdul Ghani Bhat and JKLF leader Yasin Malik.

Meanwhile, several leaders of overseas Kashmiri groups have been converging in Islamabad to join talks with Farooq and other leaders.

Ghulam Nabi Fai, Nazeer Qureishi, Nazeer Shal and Abdul Majeed Trembun will be convering in Islamabad from the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UK and Belgium respectively to discuss new proposals with the visiting leaders, media reports said in Islamabad.