Tuesday, July 4 2006 12:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: A day after Jammu and Kashmir government announced nomination of heads for four of the five working groups announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the roundtable conference, both factions of Hurriyat Conference today rejected the same calling it a 'futile' exercise.

"Kashmir issue is not an administrative matter or law and order problem but involves the future of 1.30 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir and formation of working groups is a futile exercise," Chairman of hard-line faction of Hurriyat Syed Ali Shah Geelani said in a statement here.

"New Delhi in fact was trying to mislead the international community by announcing the working group. The issues which the government wants to resolve through these groups have their base deep-rooted in the disputed nature of the Kashmir issue. Unless the basic issue is addressed, no committee can prove fruitful," Geelani alleged.

Chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umer Farooq also rejected the formation of the working groups saying the solution of Kashmir issue does not mean improvement of relations between New Delhi and Kashmir echoing the same feeling.

He said the separatist amalgam was firm on its stand that transfer of power or other concessasions cannot be solution to the Kashmir issue.

He said reduction in the army and other forces from the soil of Jammu and kashmir was imperative.

Commenting on the statement of Army Chief General J J Singh that 1500 militants are active in the state, he said what is the justification for the presence of eight lakh troops to fight 1500 militants.