Saturday, February 25 2006 12:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The round-table conference on Jammu and Kashmir, which for the first time brings political leaders and intellectuals of all the three regions of the state together, began here today(Feb 25,2006) sans the participation of any separatist outfit, including Hurriyat Conference.

The conference, which is being chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will discuss ways and means of bringing in permanent peace in the state, by having a structured dialogue on the Kashmir issue.

During the meeting, nearly 45 representatives of political parties and intellectuals will put forth their viewpoints on how to find a lasting peace in the state, which has been hit by 16 years of militancy.

Founding member of JKLF Hashim Qureshi, who had hijacked an Indian Airlines aircraft to Lahore in 1971, will be the only separatist face at the meeting.

Qureshi, who has arrived in the capital for the meeting, accused Hurriyat Conference and JKLF of having double standards and said "if they can talk to the Prime Minister privately, why do they shy away from an open dialogue." The meeting is being attended by political leaders, including state Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference President Omar Abdullah, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, Union Minister Saif-ud-din Soz, Congress leader Karan Singh, state BJP chief Nirmal Singh, K Chawang (Ladakh), Agnishekar, M K Kaw and Ajay Charngu (Kashmiri pandit leaders).

The Prime Minister will be assisted by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, Home Secretary V K Duggal, Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir N N Vohra and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair in the talks.

The process of declining the invitation was set rolling by firebrand pro-Pakistan Jamaat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani which was followed by JKLF Chief Yasin Malik and separtist leader Shabir Shah.

The Hurriyat Conference, while spurning the offer, termed the round-table meet as against the ethos of triangular discussion which was being held by the conglomerate with India and Pakistan.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah would also not be attending the meeting as he has dubbed the entire exercise as a waste of time.

Abdullah's estranged brother-in-law and former Chief Minister G M Shah, who heads Awami National Conference, has also decided to remain away from the talks.