First time after Article 370 abrogation, moderate Hurriyat leaders held a meeting in Srinagar

Srinagar: For the first time after the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, top leaders of Kashmiri moderate separatist group met in Srinagar.

The meeting was held on Tuesday and attended by the Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, senior leaders Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone and Molvi Masroor Abbas Ansari.

“Alhumdulilah! After more than five years, I got a chance to be together with my dear colleagues Professor sb, Bilal sb and Masroor sb.” Mirwaiz posted on X. “ An emotional experience of different feelings, including missing colleagues in jail. But happy to see dear Prof sb in good spirits and an alert mind at this age.”

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Alhumdulilah! After more than five years, I got a chance to be together with my dear colleagues Professor sb, Bilal sb and Masroor sb. An emotional experience of different feelings, including missing colleagues in jail. But happy to see dear Prof sb in good spirits and an alert… pic.twitter.com/ArpYYakjxx

— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) October 22, 2024 >

Mirwaiz also posted a video of the meeting at his residence on X.

The first meeting of the moderate separatist significance as the BJP led central government has adopted a hard line approach against them over the last five years.

In the last five years, Mirwaiz, who is also the head priest of Kashmir, has been mostly under house arrest and has also moved to the High Court against his “repeated detention”.

The meeting took place days after Omar Abdullah's government took office in Jammu and Kashmir . However, Omar's government is likely to have no role in allowing this meeting as the law and order comes directly under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

The founding President of Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party Altaf Bukhari said that allowing of Hurriyat leaders to meet indicates a clear shift in the political environment in J&K.

“Pleased to hear that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Sahib and his colleagues have finally been allowed to meet after a prolonged period. This indicates a clear shift in the political environment in J&K, a change that holds great potential for advancing the broader interests of the people. Despite political and ideological differences, all stakeholders, particularly political entities, can play a positive role in building a better future for J&K—one full of hope, peace, prosperity, and the well-being of its people,” Bukhari said in a post on X.

However, observers say that there is hardly a possibility that the BJP government may change its policy on separatists.